Orange Avenue intersection closures expected week of Oct. 21 as utility project gets underway at 21st Street

Affected area extends to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, with work expected to be completed by Oct. 25

A city sign warns drivers of the construction zone ahead. Image courtesy City of Sarasota

Short-term closures of the intersections along North Orange Avenue from 21st Street to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way were expected to begin Monday, Oct. 21, as part of an ongoing water main replacement project, the City of Sarasota has announced.

“Crews will begin with the intersection of Orange Avenue and 21st Street and work their way north,” a news release explains. Northbound and southbound traffic on Orange Avenue will be detoured around the work zone via side streets, the release notes. “Access to residences will be maintained,” the release adds. “Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible.”

The closures are necessary so crews can connect the existing water distribution pipes into the newly installed water main on Orange Avenue, the release explains. The work is planned to be completed by Friday, Oct. 25.

The project is part of the city’s ongoing water main replacement program, which has been designed “to enhance the reliability and safety of the system,” the release says.