The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the following highway projects will be under way in Sarasota County the week of May 13-19:
• Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) Phase 1, throughout Sarasota County: The installation of new signal controller cabinets at 121 intersections throughout the county has been completed. Over the next few weeks, according to FDOT, workers will be making adjustments to those signals.
Other work associated with this project includes installation of conduit and fiber optic cable, to forge a countywide network of intersections that will be linked to the Manatee County Traffic Control Center.
The conduit and fiber optic cable installations will be done during the daytime, according to FDOT. Delays and disruption in the coordination of signals may be expected until the project is finished, FDOT officials say. Phase 1 is expected to be completed in the early fall.
• Advanced Traffic Management System Phase 2, throughout Sarasota County: The installation of new signal controller cabinets and fiber optic cable is under way at 26 intersections. As with the Phase 1 work, the installations will be done during the daytime, according to FDOT. Again, delays and disruptions can be expected when the work begins.
Phase 2 is expected to be complete in late summer or early fall, FDOT officials note.
• Interstate 75 from north of North River Road to north of State Road 681: The improvements under this contract consist of widening I-75 to six lanes. The project includes realignment of the I-75 southbound lanes from north of Cow Pen Slough to Laurel Road, construction of new southbound bridges over Cow Pen Slough and Salt Creek, widening of northbound and southbound bridges over Curry Creek and Fox Creek, and interchange improvements at Laurel Road, Jacaranda Boulevard and River Road.
The contractor is continuing with the installation of new storm sewer drainage pipe, the transportation and placement of fill dirt (embankment) and the excavation for the new roadway and new lateral roadway ditches, according to FDOT. These activities will necessitate temporary nighttime lane closures on I-75 from Sunday, May 13, through Saturday, May 19, between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., according to FDOT.
On May 13, the contractor will be conducting daytime and nighttime paving operations throughout the project corridor. Weather permitting, FDOT officials say, this activity is expected to last one week.
Motorists may experience traffic shifts and temporary, intermittent lane closures at the River Road, Jacaranda Boulevard and Laurel Road interchanges
The yellow lights are way too short in Sarasota. I commented on this a couple of years ago and was told that FDOT sets the guidelines as to the length of the yellow lights.
I have occasion to commute to Tampa three times a week. Once outside of Sarasota the yellow lights are of more normal length. Perhaps the other cities set their own lights?
When I followed up with the DOT they were really nasty. I guess when you sit at the right hand of God and someone bothers you . . .
The yellow lights at intersections that have the new countdown walk lights, though, they are more reasonable.