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.