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Another year to go for U.S. 19 construction work

 
While drivers have to continue to deal with construction along U.S. 19, progress is being made. At right are the recently completed S.R. 60 and Seville Boulevard bridges in Clearwater.
While drivers have to continue to deal with construction along U.S. 19, progress is being made. At right are the recently completed S.R. 60 and Seville Boulevard bridges in Clearwater.
Published May 16, 2014

I commute from the southern part of St. Petersburg to north Clearwater for work five days a week. It seems like the construction nightmare that has been U.S. 19 in Clearwater north of East Bay Drive has been going on forever. When will it (if ever) end?

Jake Taylor

The latest on the $45 million project on U.S. 19 between Whitney Road and Gulf to Bay Boulevard is that the completion date has been moved ahead by six months. This places the end date at approximately one year from now — spring of 2015. Once all of the segments are completed, U.S. 19 will allow traffic to flow uninterrupted (no red lights) from 49th Street in Pinellas Park up to State Road 580 in Dunedin.

Barricade watch

• Here's a follow-up and update on the Roosevelt Boulevard off-ramp from northbound Roosevelt to eastbound Ulmerton Road, which we addressed last week due to reader concerns about the shortened turn lane for westbound Ulmerton Road approaching 34th Street. The ramp, which has been re-constructed to reduce the curvature of the roadway, is now complete and traffic flow has been restored to the pre-construction configuration.

The next phase of work, according to Kris Carson of the state Department of Transportation, will be the reconstruction of the eastbound lanes of Ulmerton Road between 34th Street and Carillon Parkway/Egret Road. Temporary adjustments will be made to accommodate the construction, which means that northbound traffic flowing to the eastbound ramp will merge into the eastbound Ulmerton Road traffic a few hundred feet closer to the intersection than before. This will last until completion of the overall project, sometime in late 2015, Carson said.

• Treasure Island's Bands on the Sand 6 festival will affect beach traffic at 104th and Gulf Boulevard May 24 and 25. Parking is available at Gulf Boulevard and 108th; Gulf Boulevard and 106th (Treasure Island Community Center lot and on the lawn of the Community Center Park); and at Gulf Boulevard and 104th Avenue (Allied Insurance lot). Motorists should be prepared to slow down and watch for pedestrians. Get information at mytreasureisland.com

• Lane closures on 62nd Avenue N from 30th Street to Fourth Street for the construction of sidewalk upgrades should be wrapped up by June 9. In the meantime, be prepared for intermittent lane closures and delays.

• According to the latest update from Pinellas County, the completion date of the construction to upgrade the intersection of Bryan Dairy Road and Starkey Road, which began in April 2013, is Dec. 15 of this year.

Email Dr. Delay at docdelay@gmail.com to share your traffic concerns, comments and questions or follow Dr. Delay on Twitter @AskDrDelay.