Closures are coming to these Manatee County roads

Two Manatee County roads will be closed beginning Monday as construction on the 44th Avenue East extension continues.

Beginning Monday and lasting until May 7, 38th Avenue East will be closed at both 27th Street East and 30th Street East. The closure at 37th Street East and 44th Avenue East, which also begins Monday, will last until June 1.

“These closures are to allow for new intersection improvements, including roundabouts, drainage, utilities, turn lanes and paving,” a road closure notice states. “Local traffic is permitted up to physical closure locations.”

The closures are part of the 44th Avenue East extension, which when complete will be a major east-west thoroughfare. The road will ultimately extend Cortez Road in Bradenton to Lorraine Road in Lakewood Ranch. County officials have estimated the project to cost about $130 million when finished.

When complete, the majority of 44th Avenue East will be a four-lane divided roadway with landscaped medians, bike lanes and sidewalks. Two bridges will be required as part of the project — one over the Braden River and one over Interstate 75.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Closures are coming to these Manatee County roads."