The 44^th Avenue East alignment from U.S. 41 to Lakewood Ranch Boulevard was included in the 1968 Concept Development Plan as a future thoroughfare to be constructed in stages based on future development growth in the County.  The 44th Avenue East Extension project was later incorporated as part of Manatee County’s 1989 Comprehensive Plan and adopted Capital Improvement Plan.  In July of 2013, construction of the first segment from U.S. 41 to 19^th Street East began.  Since that time, construction of approximately 3.5 miles of 44^th Avenue East from U.S. 41 to 45^th Street East has been completed.  The next segment to be constructed from 45^th Street East to Interstate 75 will add approximately 2.7 miles of roadway.  Upon completion of all segments, which will total approximately 8 miles of roadway, 44th Avenue East will connect Cortez Road and its beaches in the west to Lakewood Ranch in the east. It will also provide additional roadway capacity to meet current and anticipated County growth and provide more east-west and north-south connections throughout the County.  In addition to the segments constructed by Manatee County, private developers are in the process of completing more than 5 miles of 44^th Avenue East to the east of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

The two remaining segments from 45th Street East to Lakewood Ranch Boulevard will be designed as a four-lane divided roadway with bike lanes, grassed medians, sidewalks, curb and gutter, street lighting, utilities, drainage infrastructure, stormwater infrastructure, a 1,500-foot bridge over the Braden River and an overpass over Interstate 75.

The funding sources for this project includes Impact Fees, Bond (Debt), Utility Rates, Facility Investment Fees and State Funded Grants.

Construction of the segment from 45^th St. East to I-75 will begin in mid-2020 and has a construction schedule of 30 months.  The segment that includes the I-75 overpass and extension to Lakewood Ranch Blvd is currently in design and permitting and the completion date has not yet been determined.

Manatee County awarded the construction contract for the segment from 45^th St. East to I-75 be awarded to Woodruff & Sons, Inc on March 10, 2020.

The upcoming project limits will begin at the intersection of 44^th Avenue East and 45^th Street East and extend east to cross the Braden River. After crossing the Braden River, construction will continue east along 44^th Avenue East and end approximately a quarter mile (1,100 feet) west of I-75.

Construction activities will primarily occur between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, while some night-time operations may be performed from time to time to minimize interruption of traffic.

There will be overlapping tasks occurring simultaneously throughout the project corridor to maximize utilization of personnel and resources to the extent possible.   

Access to neighborhood entrances and driveways will be maintained throughout the duration of the construction project.  Brief, partial closures may be necessary and would be scheduled to occur during periods of low traffic, or at night, to minimize the disruption of traffic.

The contractor, in coordination with the County, will make every effort to minimize traffic issues during construction. 

While no water service interruptions are scheduled or anticipated, residents and businesses will be notified in advance of construction activities that may temporarily affect their water supply.

The contractor will make every effort to maintain access to mailboxes throughout the duration of the construction project. If you are experiencing issues with mail delivery, please contact the project hotline at 941-538-7898 or info@44thaveeast.com for assistance.

The contractor will make every effort to avoid impacts to garbage and recycling operations throughout the duration of the construction project. If you are experiencing issues with garbage or recycling pick-up, please contact the project hotline at 941-538-7898 or info@44thaveeast.com for assistance.

The contractor will make every effort to avoid impacts to school bus stop locations within the project limits throughout the duration of the construction project. If you are experiencing construction-related issues with school bus drop off locations, please contact the project hotline at 941-538-7898 or info@44thaveeast.com for assistance. You may also contact The School District of Manatee County at (941) 708-8770 to report a transportation issue.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and public gathering restrictions, the County initially mailed project information to area stakeholders prior to the start of construction. As construction continues, notifications of planned activities and associated impacts are provided to stakeholders located within the affected area via written, email and/or in-person notification(s). Updated project information is also available on the project website.

You can receive updates on the project website 44thaveeast.com. This page will be regularly updated with project information. You can also call the project hotline at 941-538-7898 or email the community outreach team at Info@44thaveeast.com.

Any project-related questions or concerns may be directed to the project hotline at 941-538-7898 or info@44thaveeast.com. Questions or concerns may also be submitted by completing the form located on the “Contact Us” page.

Please visit the Manatee County Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) page for more information.

Any maintenance or infrastructure issues related to Manatee County can be submitted online by visiting the Public Works Department Manatee 311 page.

Traffic signalization will be installed at two locations within the project segment from 45^th Street East to west of I-75. The first traffic signal will be located where 44^th Avenue East intersects with Morgan Johnson Road and the new Caruso Road alignment. Signalization will also be installed at the intersection of 44^th Avenue East and Creekwood Boulevard.

Boats will be able to pass under the 44^th Avenue East bridge once completed. The maximum clearance for this bridge will 10.2 feet above the average high-water elevation similar to that of the State Road 64 bridge to the north.

The Bald Eagle nest has been identified and a permit has been obtained from federal wildlife officials to ensure the eagle’s habitat will not be disrupted during construction of the project.

At this time there are no plans to construct sound barrier walls within the 44^th Avenue East Extension project limits from 45^th Street East to west of I-75.

The speed limit for this segment of the 44^th Avenue East Extension project will be 45 mph.

At this time there are no plans to construct roundabouts within the 44^th Avenue East Extension project limits from 45^th Street East to west of I-75.