Lorraine Road projects near completion in Lakewood Ranch

Two Lorraine Road construction projects — one that’s been underway for a year, and one that started this month — are scheduled to be completed by the end of March.

A project to improve the intersection at Lorraine Road and State Road 70, which began in March 2020, is likely to wrap up by the end of the month. Meanwhile, resurfacing work on two sections of Lorraine Road began in March and will likely be completed by the end of March.

Development necessitated the construction. Turn lanes were added for traffic coming into the intersection from Lorraine Road, according to Public Works Strategic Affairs Manager Ogden Clark III. The goal is to prevent traffic backups.

Better access roads were built to Lorraine Corners plaza, The Oasis at Lakewood Ranch Luxury Apartment Homes, All Pets Clinic and Publix.

Clark said the only aspects of the project left to complete are paving of the right turn lane from northbound Lorraine Road onto S.R. 70, permanent pavement markings for the entire project and miscellaneous concrete work.

Sia Mollanazar, the former deputy director of Manatee County Public Works Engineering Services, told the Observer in Dec. 2019 no further improvements will be necessary at the intersection when the county decides to widen Lorraine Road from S.R. 70 to State Road 64, which some commissioners have said is a priority, or when improvements start on S.R. 70.

The county budgeted $2.66 million for the intersection improvements and has spent about $2.6 million thus far, according to Clark. Of that $2.66 million, $1.13 million is being paid by Publix. Oasis donated land for its turn lane and paid Manatee County $100,000 to do the work. Publix also donated their property. The county bought land on the west side of Lorraine Road from AC-DC 2, LLC for $128,800.

The resurfacing work on Lorraine Road began the week of March 1, according to Clark. The county contracted Bradenton-based company Superior Asphalt to resurface two sections of Lorraine Road from University Parkway to just south of Haddington Cove and from Hidden River Trail to Greenbrook Boulevard.

The estimated cost of resurfacing is $270,000. That figure could increase if construction crews end up needing more asphalt or other supplies than estimated, though Clark said the project is on track to stay within the budget.

Both the northbound and southbound sides of the road will be resurfaced, though the work will be limited to outside lanes and shoulders. Weather permitting, Clark said paving and striping would be completed in about four weeks.

All construction will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. There will be no road closures, though delays and occasional lane closures can be expected.