Week of Nov. 23-29, 2009

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 one-week period beginning Monday, Aug. 24, and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 30. 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.

Swift Road, Sarasota: There will be no construction activity on Thursday-Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, but the northbound lanes of Swift Road will be closed from Dueby Street to Nassau this week for installation of vacuum sewer pipes in the Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area N project. During the rerouting, the speed limit in this zone will be reduced from 40 mph to 30 mph, and further reduced to 15 mph at the points of return to a normal traffic pattern. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. The work is expected to be completed in December 2009. Immediately following this project, resurfacing of Swift Road will begin from Proctor Road to Bee Ridge Road.

Palmer Boulevard between Debrecen and Webber roads, Sarasota: Installation of a water main on Palmer Boulevard continues this week, but no work is scheduled on Thursday-Friday, Nov. 26-27. Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures on the eastbound lane of Palmer Boulevard while this work is ongoing. Barricades, signs or flagmen will be present as necessary. Access to properties will be maintained at all times. Work is expected to be completed in November.

Palmer Boulevard from the intersections of Coburn and Apex roads and Center and 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 north and south of Palmer Boulevard near the intersection of Center and Raymond roads. The sidewalk along the west side of Raymond Road from Palmer Boulevard 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 its intersection with Apex Road. In addition, motorists may encounter dump trucks leaving and entering Coburn Road near the intersection of Fruitville Road. The project is expected to be completed in late 2010.

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 road construction on both sides of the existing road. The entrance to the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) office at 6750 Fruitville Road remains closed. The office can be accessed through its driveway off Coburn Road, south of the Fruitville Road intersection. Signs have been installed to direct traffic there. 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 as 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 will include 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.

Wilkinson Road between McIntosh and Sawyer roads, Sarasota: On Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 23-25, ditch digging crews will be working along Wilkinson Road between McIntosh and Sawyer roads. Flagmen will be on duty. The work may cause motorists a brief delay while traveling through the area.

Jacaranda Boulevard from Woodmere Boulevard south to U.S. 41, Venice: On Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 23-24, there will be interior lane closures in both directions on Jacaranda Boulevard from Woodmere Boulevard to U.S. 41 for tree maintenance. The work will take place each day from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Honore Avenue from Fruitville to Bee Ridge roads, Sarasota: Construction continues on Phase 1 of the Honore Avenue improvement project from Fruitville to Bee Ridge roads. Phase 1 consists of the section from Bee Ridge Road to Colonial Oaks Boulevard. Work on the bridge over Phillippi Creek has begun, but will be suspended during the Thanksgiving holiday. Motorists on the roadway are not expected to be directly impacted for a month, but they may see activity such as land clearing and pile driving at the bridge. Advance warning signs of construction are posted on Honore Avenue, Webber Street and Colonial Oaks Boulevard. The entire project will make a new 2.7-mile, two-lane divided road. Improvements include the addition of medians, roundabouts, meandering sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle lanes, drainage improvements, Florida-friendly landscaping, bio-swales and rain gardens to treat stormwater runoff and decorative streetlights in the medians. Construction will be done in three phases, and is expected to be completed in March 2011.

Webber Street, Sarasota: Construction of new sidewalks continues this week along the north side of Webber Street from Bigelow Drive to Croton Avenue. There will be lane closures during the construction. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Construction on Bougainvillea Street from the city limits to Shade Avenue has ceased until January 2010. The entire project is expected to be completed in April 2010.

Tuttle Avenue, from Webber Street to School Avenue, Sarasota: There will be no construction activity on Thursday-Friday, Nov. 26-27. Most sewer installation will take place in the northeast section of the project, which includes roads located to the north of Webber Street, east of Tuttle Avenue and south of Hyde Park Street. Construction of the vacuum pump station continues, and motorists are urged to use caution in the 2700 block of Goldenrod Street. 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 and the Webber Street Neighborhood Enhancement project. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Phase I of this project is expected to be completed in February 2010, and Phase II is expected to be finished in April 2010.

Upcoming project

Albee Road Drawbridge, Nokomis: Maintenance crews will be working overnight on the Albee Road Drawbridge from Nov. 30-Dec. 3. The hours are 9 p.m.-6 a.m. Message boards will be in place to notify motorists of possible traffic delays. There will be no impact to marine vessels.

State project

Fruitville Road from Honore to Wallace avenues, east of U.S. 301, Sarasota: From 9 p.m.- 5 a.m. on Sunday-Wednesday, Nov. 22-25, there will be nighttime intermittent lane closures at different points in both directions along Fruitville Road between Honore Avenue and Wallace Avenue as part of the Florida Department of Transportation road improvement project. The lane closures will be for installing traffic signals and the removal of concrete signal poles. Most of work requiring lane closures on Fruitville Road will be at the intersections of Shade and School avenues and McIntosh Road. All lanes will be kept open during morning and afternoon rush hours: 7-9 a.m. westbound; 3-6 p.m. eastbound. No construction activities are planned Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 26-29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.