Tired of downtown road construction? This project starts in two weeks

A new street project set to start soon is part of a larger effort to make it easier to walk between downtown Bradenton and the Village of the Arts.

It’s been two years since the Florida Department of Transportation held public meetings about its proposed pedestrian safety project on a quarter mile stretch of Eighth Avenue West from Ninth Street West to 14th Street West.

The $600,000 project has been delayed multiple times since, but is now scheduled to begin within the next two weeks, according to Jim McLellan, public works director for the city of Bradenton.

The city will kick off the construction with the replacement of an 8-inch-wide water main line. FDOT will follow with a pedestrian safety project that will include new medians with mid-block crossing islands, better lighting, modified signal lights and replacement and resurfacing of sidewalks and curbs.

On-street parking will be available on the north side of Eighth and dual left turn lanes will be added on the eastbound approach to Ninth Street West.

Eighth Avenue West in downtown is part of U.S. 41, so it falls under FDOT’s responsibility. The city joined in partnership with FDOT to do the projects simultaneously to save the city money.

“It should all start in a week or so,” McLellan said.

Any potential road closings were not immediately made available.

The city has viewed the project an important part of their goal to improve the pedestrian connections between downtown and the Village of the Arts to the south.. A planned streetscaping project, still in final design, will make that connection from Old Main Street.

Finally,” said Dawn Collins, Mystic Village owner in the Village of the Arts. “It’s about time.”

Collins was part of the initial committees set up by city staff to help envision what needed to be done to connect downtown to the village well before FDOT held its first public meeting in 2016.

“We are still lacking that connectivity,” Collins said. “So absolutely anything that makes it happen is a positive thing. It’s been a carrot dangling over our heads for years so anything that is finally coming to fruition is great news. And I think when we have that connectivity and get more people walking around downtown, it’s going to attract more business to the downtown and the village, so yes, this is an important step to take.”

Ninth Avenue West is the north border of the village, and much easier for pedestrians to cross, so the pedestrian access across Eighth Avenue West becomes vital to that connection. Currently there are no pedestrian crossings on Eighth in between the intersections a quarter mile apart.

“Currently pedestrians are crossing Eighth Avenue West anywhere they choose to cross. The pedestrian channelization in the medians will help ‘funnel’ pedestrians to designated crossings making the roadway safer,” according to FDOT’s website.