PARRISH — Travelers, businesspeople and residents are navigating around two hefty construction projects that have littered U.S. 301 North with heavy machines, mountains of dirt and great stacks of concrete drainage equipment awaiting installation.
The highway remains open and lane closures along most strategic stretches have been taking place at night, but the two projects continue for miles.
One affects the Interstate 75 interchange at Ellenton. The other starts farther north at Old Tampa Road/Erie Road, ending at County Road 675.
Special measures will be taken to accommodate holiday shoppers, who by the thousands storm the Prime Outlets-Ellenton mall at I-75 and U.S. 301, said Sarah Ozgun, the mall’s marketing manager.
“It is not going to be a problem at holiday time,” she said Wednesday. “We have met with Florida Department of Transportation officials numerous times in regards to this project. ... There will be no lane closures or any kind of work that would impede customers during mall hours.”
The mall’s annual midnight event Thanksgiving will take place as usual, with special dispensation from the FDOT, she added.
“That night, there will be no lane closures, no barrels in the way, they have assured us there will not be,” Ozgun said. “They’re just wonderful.”
Officials hope to have the east side of an exit ramp widening project adjacent to the mall completed by Christmas, said Maricelle Venegas, a FDOT project spokeswoman.
The $1.5 million interchange project is designed to improve traffic flow.
It calls for widening approaches to the intersection and improving ramps connecting to I-75, Venegas said. It will eventually provide three continuous lanes through the 51st Avenue intersection, she said, noting completion is slated for next summer.
Workers have also just finished a right turn lane for westbound drivers entering the mall, she added.
The other project, which will cost about $21 million, is designed to upgrade U.S. 301 between Old Tampa Road/Erie Road and C.R. 675 to a four-lane, divided highway, according to Matthew T. Vargas, project administrator.
The project is also designed to improve storm water drainage systems, add new directional signs, curb and gutters, sidewalk, street lights, and add a new traffic signal at Chin Road, he said. It will also upgrade existing utilities for water and sewer, he noted.
About 60 workers are employed on the project. None of the work is being paid for with federal stimulus funding, Vargas said, estimating a December 2010 completion.
“It seems to be going pretty quickly,” said Maresa Mertyris, manager at Fantastic Sam’s hair salon, at 11235 U.S. Hwy. 301 N., in the Shops at Silverleaf center.
“There have been no real delays, I come at 8 a.m. and go past again at 4:30 or 5 p.m., and have never been delayed,” she said.
Nor has there been much effect on her business, she added.
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