Crews working on widening of U.S. 41 from four to six lanes
Intermittent closures of Ridgewood Avenue at the intersection of the U.S. 41/Venice By-Pass will begin on Monday, Jan. 25, as crews work on utility and storm drain construction, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has announced.
A temporary detour for local traffic will be in place during the road closure periods, using East Venice Avenue and Bay Indies Boulevard, an FDOT news release says. The contractor estimates this work to take approximately four months to complete, the release adds.
Traffic headed from the U.S. 41/Venice By-Pass to Ridgewood should take the U.S. 41/Venice By-Pass to East Venice Avenue and then travel east to Bay Indies Boulevard, the release says. “Take Bay Indies Boulevard north one block to Ridgewood Avenue,” it adds.
Traffic headed from Ridgewood Avenue to the U.S. 41/Venice By-Pass should take Ridgewood Avenue to Bay Indies Boulevard and then travel south to East Venice Avenue, the release continues, adding that vehicles then should take East Venice Avenue west to the U.S. 41/Venice By-Pass.
“Message boards will be in place to alert motorists to the road closure and detour,” the release points out. “Proceed with caution and follow detour signs and barricades directing you around construction work,” it adds.
This project includes widening U.S. 41 from four lanes to six, improving roadway drainage, installing retention ponds, constructing 7-foot bicycle lanes, adding concrete sidewalks and relocating and/or replacing City of Venice water and sewer lines, the release explains. Upgrades to lighting, signalization, and bus pads are also part of the project. The $16.6 million project began in early November 2015, the release notes. Expected completion is spring 2018.