'Ultimate' configuration begins

EAST COUNTY — Prince Contracting isn’t nervous about tackling a list of firsts.

Starting Aug. 3, it will begin construction on Florida’s first diverging diamond interchange and the first of that design it has constructed for the Florida Department of Transportation.

“It’s a challenging job,” Prince Vice President Robert Burr said of the improvements slated for the intersection of University Parkway and Interstate 75. “It’s the biggest diverging diamond in the country. We’re anticipating a lot of traffic and (handling the) perception of traffic (congestion).”

The diverging diamond design is based on a standard diamond interchange design but has a shift in crossroad traffic within the interchange that allows left turn movement to occur without crossing oncoming traffic. It is unusual that it requires traffic on the interstate overpass to briefly drive on the opposite side of the road than what is customary.

Edwin Santana, senior project engineer with Metric Engineering, a contractor hired by FDOT, said throughout construction the existing number of lanes on University Parkway and I-75 will remain open. 

Contractors will first install temporary pavement in the median area of University Parkway and shift traffic accordingly as they work on new temporary outside lanes. That traffic pattern shift will likely will occur in early September, and any required lane closures would be well-noticed and also would occur at night to minimize traffic impacts. 

Once outside lane lanes have been complete, contractors can shift traffic again and begin work on the median under the overpass, including the installation of support beams for the new I-75 bridge structure. A temporary bridge, which will allow the same number of lanes on I-75 to remain open during construction as are open today, in both directions, will likely be installed in November. 

“The main thing is for drivers to pay attention to the signs so they know where to go,” Santana said. 

Manatee and Sarasota counties will monitor traffic and make adjustments to signal timing at impacted intersections accordingly.

As part of the overall project, FDOT also will widen about 3.5 miles of I-75 from north of Fruitville Road to north of University Parkway and add one auxiliary lane in each direction. It also will widen a 1-mile stretch of University Parkway from Market Street to Cattlemen Road/Cooper Creek Boulevard.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].