View project specific information by clicking its location on the map or its name listed below.
Original Construction Cost: $8,200,944
Project Start Date: July 2013
Completion Date: November 2015
Contractor: Woodruff and Sons, Inc.
Improvements on this 1.5 mile project included the construction of a new three-lane road from US 41 to 15th Street East and a new four-lane road from 15th Street East to 19th Street Court East. The contractor also constructed three storm water ponds and formed and poured a triple box culvert to cross Bowless Creek.
SNN News talks with Sia Mollanazar, Manatee County Public Works County Engineer Deputy Director, about the importance of the 44th Ave. extension project.
Original Construction Cost: $11,930,357
Project Start Date: January 2016
Completion Date: January 2018
Contractor: E. T. MacKenzie
Improvements on this 1.62 mile project included new construction of a four-lane roadway on 44th Avenue East through an undeveloped area extending from 19th Street Court East to 30th Street East. This project also included the construction of two single-lane roundabouts. The first roundabout is located at 27th Street East and 38th Avenue East, and the second is located at 30th Street East and 38th Street East.
Additional improvements included sidewalks on the north and south sides of 44th Avenue East; curbs, gutters, lighting, and signalization at 19th Street Court East, US 301, and 30th Street East; water main construction; and drainage and storm water improvements.
Download the project fact sheet.
Original Construction Cost: $10.4 Million
Project Start Date: March 2015
Completion Date: January 2018
Contractor: Woodruff and Sons, Inc.
Improvements on this 1.2 mile project included new construction of a four-lane roadway on 44th Avenue East extending from 30th Street East to 45th Street East, raised medians with grass and concrete curbs, five-foot sidewalks on the north and south sides of 44th Avenue East, four-foot paved bike lanes, and drainage and storm water improvements.
Additional improvements included sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and lighting and signalization at 37th Street and 44th Avenue.
Download the project fact sheet.
Construction Cost: $9.8 Million
Construction Start Date: February 2018
Completion Date: Summer 2020
Contractor: Gator Grading & Paving, LLC
Improvements to this 1.1-mile project included the widening of 45th Street East between SR 70 and 44th Avenue East from a two-lane to a four-lane roadway with grassed raised medians. The bridge deck at Gap Creek was widened to accommodate additional travel lanes. Two pedestrian bridges were constructed to provide pedestrian sidewalks. Access to the existing fire station was improved with an emergency traffic signal. Signalization was also added at the intersection of 44th Avenue East and 45th Street East.
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Project Nos. 6086960 and 6045662 (Phase I)
Construction Cost: $67.8 Million
Construction Start Date: May 2020
Anticipated Completion Date: Substantially Complete
Contractor: Woodruff & Sons, Inc
Project Description
This project continues the extension of 44th Avenue East from 45th Street East to west of I-75. Project #5 includes approximately 3.27 miles of roadway improvements and has been divided into two adjacent sections. The first section begins at 45th Street East, continues east across the Braden River and ends at 44th Avenue Plaza East. The second section (referred to as Phase 1) will begin at 44th Avenue Plaza East and end approximately a quarter mile west of the I-75 right-of-way.
Roadway improvements on 44th Avenue East will include widening to a four-lane facility with bike lanes, divided median, curb and gutter, sidewalk, multi-use trail, street lighting, utilities, drainage infrastructure and stormwater management systems. The bridge over the Braden River will be 0.28 miles in length and will include four travel lanes, shoulders, traffic railing barriers, sidewalk, multi-use trail, and utility space in the middle of the bridge deck to accommodate Manatee County utilities and street lighting.
Additionally, Morgan Johnson Road will be extended south and realigned as a two-lane road to create a new signalized intersection at 44th Avenue East. The realigned two lanes of Morgan Johnson Road will include a bike lane, curb and gutter, paved shoulders, sidewalk, and street lighting. The Morgan Johnson Road extension is also being designed and constructed to accommodate a future widening to four lanes. The intersection of 44th Avenue East and Creekwood Boulevard will also become a signalized intersection once construction is complete.
Current Activities
A dedicated right-turn lane is scheduled to be constructed at the southwest corner of 44th Avenue East and 45th Street East beginning in late 2024. The overall project is substantially complete and open to traffic.
Download the project fact sheet.
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Project No. 6045662 (Phase 2)
Construction Cost: $160 Million
Construction Start Date: December 2023
Anticipated Completion Date: Spring 2026
Contractor: SEMA Construction, Inc
Project Description
Project #6 (referred to as Phase 2) is the final segment of the 44th Avenue East Extension Project and will include approximately 1.9 miles of new roadway. Project #6 begins where Project #5 ends just west of I-75 and extends 44th Avenue East over I-75 to the existing intersection of 44th Avenue East and Solutions Lane on the east side of I-75. Lena Road will also be extended approximately 0.27 miles south of the roundabout. This added section will connect 44th Avenue East with the existing segment of Lena Road to the south continuing towards SR 70. (See project graphic for location details).
The Project #6 segment of 44th Avenue East will be a four-lane facility with bike lanes, divided median, curb and gutter, sidewalk, a multi-use trail, street lighting, utilities, drainage infrastructure, storm water management systems and a roundabout at the intersection with Lena Road. A new overpass across Interstate 75 and a bridge that will span the reclaimed lake on the existing County Southeast Water Reclamation Facility (SEWRF) are included in the project. The new segment of Lena Road connecting the 44th Avenue East roundabout and the existing Lena Road to the south will be a two-lane facility with divided median, curb and gutter, sidewalk, a multi-use trail, and street lighting.
Design/Permit Status
The design consultant is currently coordinating the following permits:
Land Acquisition
Land acquisition for 44th Avenue East and for the Lena Road connection is ongoing. Right-of-Way mapping has been prepared for the entire project corridor.
Current Activities
West of I-75: Roadway construction activities and lighting work are ongoing at the western end of the bridge over I-75, just north of The Ridge at Crossing Creek community.
I-75 Overpass: Partial-lane closures and traffic shifts will be in effect on the northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 through mid-December 2024 to accommodate nighttime bridge construction activities. Northbound and southbound traffic on I-75 is being maintained.
East of I-75: Construction on the embankment and retaining wall, drainage, and roadwork at the eastern end of the bridge over I-75 are continuing. Other work includes bridge construction over South Lake, as well as embankment and road construction, drainage, and utility work north of south Lena Road.
Construction activities are active Monday through Friday, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., with Saturday and nighttime work to be conducted on an as-needed basis. Travelers are asked to be mindful of construction equipment and materials being operated and staged in right-of-way areas.