County drives 44th Avenue extension

Pam Eubanks

Senior Editor

A

s Manatee County Public Works Director Ron Schulhofer drove along what will become the 44th Avenue East extension, he looked to the horizon, dotted with Florida Power & Light poles that were planted more than 20 years ago.

“If anybody wants to see the alignment, go to Google maps and look for these poles,” Schulhofer said. “(The extension) runs parallel to them.”

Manatee County officials this month signed off on a $36 million bond to hasten completion of the project, which starts at U.S. 41 and eventually will connect to Lorraine Road, although Manatee County’s portion will end just west of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, north of the Rosedale community.

West of 15th Street East, the road is one lane in each direction with a center turn lane between them, but east of that point, it’s a four-lane road with landscaped medians, bike lanes, sidewalks and street lights. The section from 45th Street East to Lakewood Ranch Boulevard will include two bridges, including one across the Braden River and another across Interstate 75.

“Forty-fourth is very important to the community,” Schulhofer said. “It makes the grid work.”

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch already has constructed portions of 44th Avenue in Lakewood Ranch and will eventually extend it eastward to Lorraine Road from its current endpoint. Lakewood Ranch Boulevard is under construction to go to Fruitville Road, as is Lorraine Road, providing more connections from 44th Avenue.

“There’s a lot of north-south to go with it,” Schulhofer said. “The whole area benefits.”

Sia Mollanazar, deputy director of public works, who oversees engineering, added, “Both State Road 64 and 70, if you drive it, you see the congestion.”

Schulhofer said the average time to build a road in Florida is 10 years. He hopes the entire project can be complete within seven. Each phase will vary in duration based on design, permitting and right of way requirements.

Section one

19th Street Court East to 45th Street East

Although not in East County, this segment of roadway will play a key role in connecting Cortez Road in the west to Lakewood Ranch in the east and is under various levels of construction.

From 19th Street Court East to 30th Street East, contractor E.T. Mackenzie began work Jan. 4. The contractor currently is clearing land east to U.S. 301.

The overall segment includes two roundabouts and will include a signalized intersection where 44th Avenue crosses U.S. 301.

Farther east, between 30th to 45th Street East, the roadway is nearly finished. Contractor Woodruff & Sons started on that part of the project in February 2015. Curb, sidewalk and base installation has been completed from 30th Street East to 34th Street East, but work continues on the remainder of the segment.

“We’re not ready to open it yet,” Schulhofer said.

Section two

45th Street East to 44th Avenue Plaza East

A consultant is working on preliminary design and alignment options for crossing Braden River along with the intersection of 44th Avenue East with Morgan Johnson Road. Until then, no land will be taken by eminent domain.

The county must be at a certain level of design before beginning eminent domain proceedings to ensure it takes as little property as possible, Schulhofer said.

The U.S. Coast Guard has given its blessing for the bridge across the river, but other permits still will be required.

Schulhofer said the county expects the roadway expansion to require land south of the existing 44th Avenue segment, going east from the river. At its intersection with Morgan Johnson, the roadway likely will have an “s” curve, winding south of Braden River United Methodist Church to connect with Caruso Road.

Section three

44th Avenue Plaza East to just west of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard

From the Braden River, 44th Avenue will head eastward, heading to Creekwood Boulevard.

A FP&L power substation is a visual for where the road will take its new alignment. The design will straighten out 44th to continue eastward just north of where Neal Communities is building The Ridge at Crossing Creek, and then heads southward from that spot. Neal Communities will be responsible for constructing the area where the roadway will “ramp up” to I-75, Mollanazar said.

Schulhofer said the roadway design is under preliminary design and a feasibility study to cross a reclaimed water storage pond at the county’s wastewater treatment plant are ongoing.