Osprey Avenue closure schedule shifts

Osprey Avenue, the main north-south alternative to U.S. 41 west of the trail, is scheduled to close July 11 for nearly a year for a construction project, which will alter regular traffic patterns.

However, the city is instituting a change to the Osprey Avenue construction schedule to allow it to remain open during tourist season.

The city is constructing a new lift station in Lukewood Park, which is located where U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 intersect.

The nearby Lift Station 7, on Pomelo Avenue, has had a history of leaks, including a major 570,000-gallon spill six years ago into Hudson Bayou.

City officials are building the new Lift Station 87 further away from the bayou to alleviate concerns about future leaks. It will come with odor control and a back-up diesel system in case of power outages.

That lift station will replace Lift Station 7 and Lift Station 71, which is near the southern terminus of Ohio Place in the Laurel Park neighborhood.

As part of the construction, Osprey Avenue from Brother Geenan Way to Alta Vista Street will be closed for 10 to 11 months, although some local traffic will be allowed to pass during much of that time.

The original plan called for the street to be closed for nine months, beginning in July, which would have spanned all of tourist season.

But a change in the digging schedule has allowed the city to re-open Osprey Avenue around Thanksgiving, and then close it again from March or April until late October.

The city will take advantage of the closure of Osprey Avenue to renovate the bridge over Hudson Bayou.
For about four months, the bridge will be closed for renovation, which will prohibit even local southbound traffic from entering Osprey Avenue at Mound Street.

The entire project will close with the demolition of lift stations 7 and 71. That will occur from approximately September 2012 to October 2012.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].