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Week of
March 15-21, 2010
The following is a summary of Sarasota County
construction, repair and maintenance projects that are expected
to have an impact on local traffic during a one-week period
beginning on Monday and continuing through Sunday. This summary includes all road or lane closures approved by
the county engineer.
For more information about county construction
projects and road and lane closures, contact the Sarasota County
Call Center at 941-861-5000. You can find the current status of
state roadway projects in District 1, which includes Sarasota
County, in the weekly RoadWatch Update issued by the Florida
Department of Transportation.
Lockwood Ridge Road Bridge,
Sarasota: The Lockwood Ridge Road Bridge is scheduled to be
closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. Monday, March 15, until 6
p.m. Thursday, July 15. The functionally obsolete bridge will be
replaced with a wider bridge that will have 12-foot-wide travel
lanes, 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes in both directions and a
5-foot-wide sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. Work this
week includes removal and temporary bypassing of the 12-inch
sewer pipe over the bridge and demolition of the existing
structure. Detour signs will be posted.
Fruitville Road from Coburn to Debrecen roads, Sarasota:
Work on Fruitville Road from Coburn to Debrecen roads continues
this week, with waterline and stormwater pipe installation,
utility relocations, gravity wall construction, the excavation
of pond sites and roadway construction on both sides of the
existing road. Tatum Road just south of Fruitville Road is
expected to remain closed to traffic until around 7 p.m. on
Wednesday, March 17. Traffic will be detoured to East Road.
Motorists are urged to use caution and watch for signs directing
traffic to the detour route.
Traffic has been shifted slightly to the south onto the newly
constructed roadway from Tatum to Debrecen roads. Eastbound
traffic from Fruitville Road is no longer able to make a left
turn directly onto northbound Sarasota Center Boulevard, but can
use the newly constructed jug handle access. Motorists are urged
to use extra caution and watch for the signs directing traffic
in the new configuration.
Otherwise, two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times
on Fruitville Road, with equipment and personnel working on the
road shoulder areas. Motorists are reminded to use caution
throughout the work zone because there will be periodic
slowdowns and stoppages due to heavy equipment and materials
crossing and offloading along Fruitville Road. The posted speed
limit has been reduced to 35 mph in the work zone for the safety
of the workers and the traveling public. This project includes
the construction of four 11-foot-wide travel lanes, 4-foot-wide
bicycle lanes and 10-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides of the
roadway. In addition, there will be roadway lighting, medians,
concrete curbs and gutters, stormwater pipes, inlet structures,
stormwater ponds and a water supply pipe. The project is
expected to be complete in the winter of 2010.
Siesta Heights area, Sarasota: Work continues this week
along U.S. 41 in the Siesta Heights area, with the installation
of storm drain pipes and structures. Motorists are encouraged to
exercise caution when entering and exiting the businesses along
U.S. 41 from Cass Way to Cass Street. This stormwater
improvement project is designed to alleviate flooding for
residents and businesses along U.S. 41 and Cass Street, Cass
Way, Cass Circle and Inner Cass Circle. Traffic may be
periodically affected as the project will include excavation,
temporary detours and road closures and the movement of heavy
machinery through the area. The project is expected to be
completed in July 2010.
Cattlemen Road from Bahia Vista Street to Fruitville Road,
Sarasota: Cattlemen Road from Bahia Vista Street to
Fruitville Road will have lane closures 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Monday-Friday, March 15-19, for paving operations. The
resurfacing project is expected to be completed by April.
Palmer Boulevard between the intersections of Coburn/Apex
roads and Center/Raymond roads, Sarasota: Construction
continues on the Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility
improvement and expansion project. Motorists can expect to
encounter heavy equipment and trucks crossing Palmer Boulevard
to the north and south near the intersection of Center and
Raymond roads. The sidewalk along the west side of Raymond Road
from Palmer Boulevard south to the Raymond Road wooden bridge
will be closed. In addition, the sidewalk along the north side
of Palmer Boulevard from Center Road to the gazebo will be
closed due to off-road equipment traffic. Pedestrians will need
to use another route in this area. No lane closures are expected
this week, but construction equipment will be moving in and out
of the Celery Fields on the northwest side of the Raymond Road
wooden bridge. Motorists may encounter dump trucks entering or
exiting eastbound Palmer Boulevard at the intersection with Apex
Road. The project is expected to be completed in early fall
2010.
Leewynn Place between W. Leewynn Drive and Sarasota Golf Club
Boulevard, Sarasota: Leewynn Place will be closed beginning
Monday, March 15, for approximately two weeks. The road is
scheduled to be reopened on Friday, March 26. The drainage pipes
and end walls at this location are being replaced with larger
pipes to prevent flooding. Safety upgrades to the guardrail are
also a part of these improvements. This work is being performed
in conjunction with Phase 3 of the Celery Fields Stormwater
Regional Stormwater Facility expansion.
Venice East Boulevard from U.S. 41 to Center Road:
Construction of tree and landscape improvements in the medians
and rights of way continues this week along Venice East
Boulevard between U.S. 41 and Center Road. There will be some
maintenance of traffic for the north and south moving lanes, but
disturbance to the flow of traffic is expected to be minor.
Improvements in the right of way abutting the Venice East Golf
Course are being coordinated with the Golf Club Committee to
ensure that there is no interruption to activities on the
course. The project is expected to extend through the end of
March.
Honore Avenue from Fruitville Road to Bee Ridge Road:
Construction continues this week on Phase 1 of the Honore Avenue
improvement project from Bee Ridge Road to Colonial Oaks
Boulevard. Weather permitting, Brookmeade Drive will be closed
beginning Monday, March 15, through Friday, May 14. Message
boards and detour signs will be posted as required. Crews are
working on the substructure of the bridge over Phillippi Creek.
Crews will continue to work on the force main and water main
between Stokes Way and Brookmeade Drive. Motorists may
experience temporary lane closures during daytime hours on
Stokes Way. Flagmen will direct traffic as needed. The entire
project will result in a new 3-mile-long, two-lane divided road
with roundabouts, bicycle lanes, decorative streetlights,
Florida-friendly landscaping, and rain gardens to treat
stormwater runoff. Construction will be done in three phases,
and is scheduled to be completed in March 2011.
Webber Street, Sarasota: Sidewalk project site
restoration work on Bougainvillea Street may impact traffic
during the day. There will be flagmen directing traffic during
the construction. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday-Friday. Work on Webber Street from Jefferson Street to
Beneva Road and on Grove Street from the city limits to Shade
Avenue is substantially complete at this time, and lane closures
have been removed. The entire project is expected to be
completed in April 2010.
Tuttle Avenue from Webber Street to School Avenue, Sarasota:
Valve pit installation will continue this week on Brink Avenue.
Work also will continue on Webber Street, with a lane closure
scheduled on Webber Street westbound. Lighted directional boards
or flagmen will be present as necessary. The work is part of the
Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area D
project. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained
at all times. Construction of Phase I is complete and punch list
items are being addressed throughout the project boundaries.
Phase II is expected to be finished in April 2010.
Harbor Drive and W. Venice Avenue intersection, Venice:
Weather permitting, on Monday-Tuesday, March 15-16, one lane of
Harbor Drive will be closed during daytime hours for a waterline
replacement. On the night of Wednesday, March 17, the work will
shift to W. Venice Avenue, when the east area of the
intersection will be closed to traffic around 7 p.m. to
midnight. While the intersection is closed, eastbound traffic on
Venice Avenue and northbound traffic on Harbor Drive will be
detoured to Barcelona Avenue
Other closures
Brohard Park boardwalk, Venice: The replacement of the
north boardwalk at Brohard Park in Venice has begun. The south
boardwalk is now open and will remain open throughout
construction of the north boardwalk. Residents and visitors are
asked to use caution in the area of the boardwalk during
construction. The entire project is expected to be completed in
April.
Hart's Landing boat dock, Sarasota: Work is under way to
replace the boat dock at Hart's Landing in Sarasota. The boat
dock will be closed to boat traffic during construction. The
bait and sandwich shop will remain open during the project. The
project is expected to be completed in April.
State projects
Fruitville Road from Honore to Wallace avenues, east of U.S.
301, Sarasota:
Weather permitting, the application of thermoplastic striping
for travel and turn lanes on Fruitville Road between Honore and
Wallace avenues will require intermittent lane closures from 8
p.m.-5 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, March 14-18. A daytime lane closure
for sidewalk repairs is scheduled after 9 a.m. Monday, March 15,
on westbound Fruitville Road at the approach to Bailey Road.
Similar work at the intersection of Fruitville and McIntosh
roads is not expected to require a lane closure. Intermittent
lane closures will be implemented on Sunday, March 14, for
traffic signal loop adjustments at the intersections of Mimosa
Drive, Lockwood Ridge Road, Beneva Road, Shade Avenue and Lime
Avenue. The thermoplastic striping of crosswalks and stop bars
on side streets will require daytime traffic shifts at the
approaches to Fruitville Road. All Fruitville Road travel lanes
are kept open from 7-9 a.m. westbound and 3-6 p.m. eastbound.
The work is part of the Florida Department of Transportation
project to improve Fruitville Road between Honore and Wallace
avenues.
U.S. 301 from Wood to Myrtle streets, Sarasota: Several
lane closures on U.S. 301 are expected this week. From
Tuesday-Thursday, March 16-18, one lane of U.S. 301 between
Princeton and 21st streets will be closed in both directions
from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. for tree and curb removal in the median.
Other planned lane closures are scheduled Wednesday, March 17,
at the intersection of Fruitville Road for installing temporary
traffic signals, and Thursday, March, 18, at the intersection of
10th Street for installing new traffic signal mast arms. |