Week of July 7-13, 2008

The following is a summary of Sarasota County construction, repair and maintenance projects that are expected to have an impact on local traffic during the period beginning Monday, July 7, and continuing through Sunday, July 13. This summary includes all road or lane closures approved by the county engineer.

Fruitville Road, Sarasota (west of McIntosh to east of Cattlemen roads):  Construction for the installation of streetlights on Fruitville Road from west of McIntosh to east of Cattlemen roads is scheduled to begin the week of July 7. The initial work is expected to have little or no impact on traffic. The project is expected to be finished by late January 2009.

Overbrook Road, Englewood: The Overbrook Road Bridge remains closed until Aug. 31 while a new bridge is constructed. During the closure, traffic will be detoured to Manasota Beach Road. Demolition of the existing bridge is complete, and the concrete pour for the new bridge deck has been rescheduled to the week of July 7. The new bridge will include a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side, 11-foot-wide travel lanes and 6-foot-wide shoulders. Among other improvements are replacement of bridge seawalls and water and sewer line connections. The project is expected to be finished by the end of August.

Cattlemen Road, Sarasota (north of Bee Ridge Road to Palmer Boulevard): There will be intermittent lane closures this week on Cattlemen Road, north of Bee Ridge Road to Palmer Boulevard, while work is under way in the medians. The work is anticipated to be completed by mid-August.

Center Road, Venice: Temporary lane closures will occur this week on Center Road, south of the intersection of Jacaranda Avenue, while work is under way in the medians. The work is expected to be finished in August.

Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota (from Cattlemen to McIntosh roads): The intersection at Bahia Vista Street and Honore Avenue is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, July 8. Traffic on Bahia Vista will continue to travel in the northern lanes, while the southern lanes are paved with the next structural asphalt course and prepared for the final asphalt surface. Signs, barricades and flagmen will be present as needed to ensure that vehicles and pedestrians can move about safely. Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution when driving through the area. The speed limit has been reduced to 35 mph from Honore Avenue to McIntosh Road, and remains 30 mph from Cattlemen Road to Honore. The Bahia Vista Street improvement project involves the reconstruction and widening of the current two-lane roadway, a distance of 1.85 miles. Among the improvements are bike lanes, sidewalks, streetlights, stormwater management and the installation of a new vacuum sewer. Construction is expected to be completed in August 2008.

17^th Street, Sarasota (Honore Avenue west to Circus Boulevard): There will be intermittent left-lane closures Monday-Tuesday, July 7-8, on 17^th Street from Honore Avenue west to Circus Boulevard for tree maintenance.

U.S. 41 and Sorrento area, Nokomis: Construction continues this week on the U.S. 41 lift station #25 project. No lanes are expected to be closed, but motorists should exercise caution as trucks enter and exit the highway from Giotto Drive to Bay Street to the north. This project will increase capacity and reliability of wastewater service. It will also eliminate the existing pump station and replace it with a state-of-the-art master pumping facility. Project completion is expected in January 2009.

Little Five Points (Herald Square), Sarasota: Construction crews this week are performing road restoration on Rawls Avenue between Alderman Street and Oak Street as part of the Little Five Points (Herald Square) stormwater improvements. Rawls Avenue is closed between Devonshire Lane and Alderman Street. Crews also are installing water main pipe and stormwater pipe on Orange Avenue just north of Alderman Street. Orange Avenue will be closed at Oak Street. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Pineapple Avenue, turn left onto Laurel Street, then left onto Orange Avenue. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Laurel Street and can turn left on Pineapple Avenue to return to southbound Orange Avenue. The intersection of Oak Street and Orange Avenue will be closed. This detour is expected to remain until July. All businesses will be open in the Burns Court and Herald Square area. Business signs are posted to direct patrons to area businesses.

Motorists should follow posted detours and use caution when traveling in these areas. Signs, barricades and flagmen will be present as needed. Construction of the entire project is expected to be completed in November.

Lake Sarasota area, Sarasota: Work continues this week on construction of the Lakeview Elementary School area sidewalks. Installation of potable waterlines along Jarvis Road, Lago Way and Lago Street is complete. Minor traffic delays may occur as heavy equipment moves through the area. Flagmen will be present as needed. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling through the neighborhood. The sidewalk portion of the project includes a total of 3.06 miles of sidewalks on 11 roadway segments. Also included is driveway reconstruction, drainage improvements, utility adjustments, grading and sod, pavement markings and signage. The project is scheduled to be finished in September.

Webber Street, Sarasota (Java Plum Avenue to McIntosh Road): Construction on McIntosh Road south of Webber Street will continue this week, along with road widening from Teal Avenue to McIntosh Road for installation of sidewalks. Sidewalk and curb construction will take place between McIntosh Road and Teal Avenue and between Vinson Avenue and Nodosa Drive. The northbound travel lane of McIntosh will be opening this week after road striping is complete. The northbound lane will then be closed from Beacon  to Betty drives. Activity will increase at the intersection of Webber Street and Java Plum Avenue as the vacuum pump station site remains under construction. The work is part of the Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area K project and sidewalk and safety improvements. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Specific road and lane closures will be posted at this site weekly. Construction is expected to be finished in October 2008.

Webber Street, Sarasota (McIntosh Road to Huntington Avenue): Sewer pit installation will take place on Belmont Boulevard, Baird Street, Forest Knoll Drive and Webber Place. Main line installation will be on Purcell Circle, East Mark Drive and West Mark Drive. Streets reduced to one lane will have flagmen present. Roadside asphalt work will be taking place on Fleet Lane, Dyer Lane and Condor Street. The construction is part of the Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area K project and sidewalk and safety improvements. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Specific road and lane closures will be posted at this site weekly. Construction is expected to be finished in June 2009.

Dearborn Street, Englewood: No lane closures are expected this week while the contractor and subcontractor work on punch list items such as miscellaneous sod, concrete and lighting items as part of the Dearborn Street improvement project. The speed limit in the area has been reduced from 45 to 35 mph. The Dearborn Street project involves the reconstruction and widening of the current two-lane roadway from approximately 1,000 feet east of State Road 776 to 200 feet west of Pine Street, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. The work includes the construction of four 11-foot-wide travel lanes, with 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes and 5-foot-wide concrete sidewalks on both sides of the roadway. There will be roadway lighting, medians, concrete curbs and gutters, stormwater pipes, inlet structures, a stormwater pond and a new bridge over Gottfried Creek. Construction began in February 2007 and is expected to be complete in July 2008.

East Fruitville Road, Sarasota: Construction continues this week on the east Fruitville Road project. The speed limit has been raised from 35 mph to the previous 55 mph. The road-widening project covers an area from Hi Hat Ranch to Verna Road, a distance of 4.5 miles. The east Fruitville Road project includes the construction of two 12-foot travel lanes, with 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes and drainage improvements. The project is expected to be finished in July 2008.

Nokomis area: Crews this week will be working in the following areas as part of the Nokomis Water Line project:

• 3C-West (area is North of Colonia Lane between Riverview Drive and River Boulevard and north to Lucile Avenue) Valve and service crews will be along Padua Court, Snook Lane, Trout Lane, Bass Lane and Frances Street.
• 3C-North (area is north of Lucile Avenue to Dona Way and Portia Street west to Valencia Street; also includes Oak Tree Lane) Valve and service crews will be working in the entire area.
• 3C-East (area is from Albee Farm Road east to Irene Street and between Colonia Lane to Kilpatrick Road) Valve and service crews will be working on Orange Grove Avenue from Colonia Lane north to Kilpatrick Road.
• 3D (area is from Citrus Avenue south to Magnolia Avenue off US41) Pipe crews will be working on Spencer Avenue, King Street, Tangerine Street, Hamilton Street And Valencia Street, all east of U.S. 41. Pipe crews also will be working next week in the area of  Silver Spray Lane, Amalfie Lane and Albee Road, all east of U.S. 41. Valve and service crews will  be working on Sago Lane, Estil Drive, Avenida La Palma, Avenida De Bahia and Avenida De La Isla, all west of U.S. 41.

Motorists should use caution when traveling in these areas. Signs, barricades and flagmen will be present as needed to maintain two-way traffic through the area. Construction in these areas is expected to be completed in fall 2008. Other areas are targeted for completion in early 2009.

Siesta Key Village Beautification: Work continues this week on Phase 1 of the project to bury overhead utility lines on Ocean Boulevard within the village. Construction crews will continue directional drilling and trench digging conduits along the west side of Ocean Boulevard near Avenida Madera and continuing south along Ocean Boulevard toward the intersection of Beach Road. Rolling lane closures can be expected on Ocean Boulevard between Avenida Madera and Beach Road. Portions of sidewalk, as well as parking stalls along the west side of Ocean Boulevard where construction equipment is active, may be temporarily closed to pedestrians and traffic during this time. Florida Power & Light Co. crews will be tying in the conduit and transformers during this time. Phase 1 of the Siesta Key Village Beautification project is targeted for completion in September. Phase 2 of the project is targeted to begin in August and will last approximately seven months.

Other construction

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