We often go fishing near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and are wondering what's happening with the rest area and parking lot? It looks like there's work going on there. How long will the rest area be closed off?
Mike Walker
This is a state Department of Transportation project to improve the rest areas on both the Pinellas and Manatee county sides of the Sunshine Skyway, to include the construction of new rest area pavilions, parking lots with LED lighting, and to repair an extension of the seawall from a new picnic pavilion at the Manatee County rest area. The $18 million project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2019. The rest area on the Pinellas County side is closed until construction of the new facility is complete; the Manatee rest area will remain open until construction on the Pinellas side is done. Lane closures are not expected to be part of this project, although there will be short-term closures to allow for material deliveries and trucks entering and exiting the construction area.
What is the story with the construction on 22nd Avenue S?
Work on 22nd Avenue S from 51st Street to 55th Street in Gulfport is a DOT project to improve stormwater drainage, enhance sidewalks and curbing, and milling and resurfacing of the roadway, which means motorists can expect lane closures and traffic delays throughout the duration of the project. Work is currently scheduled to be ongoing through the springtime, with completion expected sometime in March.
Can you find out what the nature of the work going on along the Pinellas Bayway is?
S. Stillwell
This is work to install fiber cable for the Intelligent Transportation System (or ITS) along State Road 682/Pinellas Bayway from Granada Street to Interstate 275. The ITS includes devices such as closed-circuit television cameras and electronic signage to advise motorists about travel times, roadway congestion, lane closures and current weather or emergency conditions. The project is expected to finish sometime in early 2018 and requires nightly lane closures Sunday through Thursday from 8:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Barricade watch
A series of sewer pipe repair projects are currently under way in both commercial and residential areas of Clearwater, with work scheduled into December. Motorists have already noticed work along Hercules Avenue, and Countryside Boulevard and Winding Wood Drive.
Additional locations are Hercules Avenue north of Palmetto Drive (Nov. 16-28), Edenville Avenue and Druid Road (Nov. 29-Dec. 1), and Waverly Way and Franklin Street (Dec. 4-5).
Residents in the construction areas should expect noise created by pumps, possible resin odor and trucks and construction equipment on affected streets.
Residents will have access to their driveways and nearby streets, although there will be lane closures as needed with one-way traffic directed by flaggers. As always, the construction dates are contingent on weather conditions.
Email Dr. Delay at docdelay@gmail.com to share your traffic concerns and questions. Follow @AskDrDelay.