Paving project ends early

The Florida Department of Transportation’s Gulf of Mexico Drive paving contractor, Ajax Paving Industries Inc., will be done paving the Manatee County side of the road by Wednesday, May 13, which is 10 days ahead of schedule. Lane closures will also end Wednesday.

The project’s public information officer, Darren Alfonso, made the announcement Friday, May 8.

“Paving is almost complete and is way ahead of schedule,” said Alfonso, who reports that he has received no traffic complaints this week.

Ajax is currently finishing paving all medians and making sure the pavement has a straight edge on all road slopes leading to the town’s side streets.

The contractor is also paving and striping road aprons, or parts of the side streets that the state owns, near Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Once complete, Alfonso said the contractor will be back in mid-June after the pavement has cured sufficiently for one more coat of permanent striping.

The 4.5-mile $1.27 million project is one of 10 Gulf of Mexico Drive improvement projects that are planned for the roadway through 2011.

When all projects are complete, Gulf of Mexico Drive will also include new turn lanes, new sidewalks, some street widening, new curbs and gutters, drainage improvements, new guard and bridge rails and new signs.

In total, the projects will span from Bird Key Drive westward, through Armands Circle, all the way to the north end of the roadway at Longboat Pass Bridge.

For more information about the repaving project, contact Alfonso at 813-767-9532 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Updates and information about the project can also be found at www.mySR789.com.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].