Osprey Ave Utility Project to Start April 1st
There will be lots of action on South Osprey Avenue next summer as the City installs new sewer and water mains as well as a fibre optic line under the street. Final planning for the project is not complete, but here are the latest details:
•The project is slated to run from April 1, 2019 through November 30, 2019
•A new sanitary sewer forced main will be installed from Novus Street to 1st Avenue
•A new water main will be installed from Mound Street to 1st Avenue
•A new fibre optic line serving city facilities will also be installed during the project
•Osprey will be closed to through traffic in both directions between Mound Street and 1st Avenue
•Local traffic will be allowed
•All Laurel Park residents and businesses will have access to their properties during the project. (Some Osprey Avenue properties may experience short times where access must be blocked during the day. The city promises to work closely with those property owners and keep the blockages under 4 hours.)
•When the water line is installed, there will be occasional, short losses of water to areas of the neighborhood as connections are made at each Osprey property and at each East-West street’s connection to the main. The cutoffs will last less than 4 hours. Each property owner will be notified 3 days before their water is cut-off.
•Reclaimed water irrigation hookups will be made available to properties fronting Osprey, but there is a cost and you must request the hookup by September 28th. (See below for details)
•Reclaimed water irrigation will also be extended to the west end of the Oak St. median
•A bump-out will be installed at Osprey & Laurel to discourage wrong-way traffic
•Any vegetation, tree, curb or sidewalk that is damaged during the project will be replaced
•Osprey Avenue will be repaved as the final step of the project
Traffic Detours
The traffic changes and detours necessary for the project haven’t been finalized, but we have some basics. Osprey Avenue will be closed to through traffic in both directions during the project. All Laurel Park property owners will have access to their homes and businesses. Local traffic on the side streets will be allowed and Osprey residents will be able to access their properties. There may be occasional, short times where individual properties on Osprey are blocked, but the City has promised to work closely with the residents to minimize any inconvenience.
Sewer Main
Crews will use tunneling to install a 24 inch sanitary sewer force main under the northbound lane of Osprey. They plan to do the installation in segments. This will require digging five access pits. The current plan calls for pits at Brother Geenen, Oak Street, between the 2 arms of Hawkins Court, north of Ringling, and at 1st Avenue.
Project Manager, Seton Katz says they’ll start from Brother Geenan and drill a tunnel north to the Oak Street Pit where they will grab a long section of pipe and drag it back south into the tunnel. When that is done, they’ll drill north from the Oak Street pit and repeat the process of drill and pull until they reach 1st Avenue.
Water Main
The new water main will be installed as a liner inside the old sanitary force main running under the southbound lane of Osprey. This doesn’t require drilling, but it does require water shut-offs as connections are made to each Osprey property and to the side street mains. Katz says each shut-0ff will not last more than 4 hours. Since the main is in the southbound lane, a trench will be cut across both south and northbound lanes to reach each property on the east side of the street.
Reclaimed Irrigation Water
As a part of this project, reclaimed irrigation water will be extended to the west end of the median on Oak Street.
The city has also agreed to allow Osprey Avenue residents and businesses to connect to the reclaimed water irrigation line running under Osprey. Only properties fronting Osprey will be able to get the connection.
The City charges $325 to make the connection. The property owner is responsible for installing and maintaining a reduced pressure back flow prevention device (RPZ) on their drinking water line as well as any irrigation pipe or plumbing on their property.
If you’re interested, you must submit an application and $325 to the City by September 28, 2018. Call Monica Flores at 941-365-2200 if you have any questions.
Cleanup and Repaving
The City will replace any vegetation or trees that may be damaged during the project. A new bump-out (the City engineers call it a bulb-out) will be installed at the corner of Osprey and Laurel Street, narrowing Laurel to one lane to discourage wrong-way traffic from entering. Any damaged curbs and sidewalks will be repaired. Finally, Osprey will be milled down and repaved.
Project Manager Seton Katz and other members of the project team will be at the LPNA General Meeting on November 13, 2018 to give us the latest details and to answer any questions.