SARASOTA

Sarasota pipe project to affect parking near Gillespie Park

Nicole Rodriguez
nrodriguez@heraldtribune.com
Sarasota is replacing a more than 50-year-old wastewater main near 10th Street and North Osprey Avenue, causing the closure of an adjacent parking lot. [CITY OF SARASOTA PHOTO]

SARASOTA — The city has started work to replace a more than 50-year-old wastewater main near 10th Street and North Osprey Avenue, causing the closure of an adjacent parking lot for the duration of the construction.

The project, under contractor Halfacre Construction Company, began Feb. 25 and is expected to finish by June. While the parking lot on Osprey Avenue north of 10th Street for the Canine Park at Gillespie Park will remain closed during the project, the park will be open.

The project consists of the replacement of an asbestos cement force main pipe in the Osprey Avenue right of way just north of 10th Street. This part of the project will install 800 feet of new 24-inch force main and 250 feet of 36-inch steel casing under the railroad right of way. Two crossings will be installed and one will be tied into the existing system; one will be capped off for a future project. This part of the project is to complete the portion under the railroad and the next phase will continue to the wastewater treatment plant.

The replacement of the piping is expected to improve the wastewater system's resiliency and reliability, the city said in a news release.