Upper Manatee River Road reduced to one lane beginning Monday

A portion of Upper Manatee River Road will be reduced to one lane beginning next Monday as construction on the Fort Hamer Bridge continues.

Upper Manatee River Road from Gates Creek Road to Third Avenue Northeast will be reduced to southbound traffic only as part of the detour, which is anticipated to remain in place for several months. Northbound traffic will be diverted onto 3rd Avenue Northeast and Gates Creek Road.

The closure is part of the reconfiguration to a new traffic pattern on the south side of the river, according to Trudy Gerena, project spokeswoman.

“There is going to be a signal there too,” she said.

Construction is underway on the $32.9 million Fort Hamer Bridge, which will connect Parrish and Lakewood Ranch when complete in summer 2017.

This story was originally published August 1, 2016 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Upper Manatee River Road reduced to one lane beginning Monday."