Construction of a new major artery in south Alexandria – the extension of 44th Avenue – is into its second week.
The $1.5 million project will extend 44th Avenue from where it currently ends, from just past Doolittles Woodfire Grill to South Broadway. It’s a 1,700-foot section that will be 44-feet wide.
The project will also extend Sanibel Drive from the Walmart store, north about 400 feet, to 44th Avenue.
Also, a 10-foot-wide bike path will be built along Sanibel Drive and the east portion of 44th Avenue, and a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along the west portion of 44th Avenue.
The work includes sanitary sewer, storm sewer, stormwater retention pond and water services for the adjacent properties.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mark Lee Excavating of Alexandria is heading up the project.
City leaders say the extension will provide a much-needed link in the city’s transportation system that will also allow the development of a 57-acre parcel of commercial property. A new Express Car Wash will be located along 44th Avenue.
The extension is also expected to address safety issues by reducing the traffic volume at the intersection of 44th Avenue and Highway 29.
The project is expected to be completed and ready for traffic by mid-September.
The city was awarded a grant of $789,717 from the state’s Local Road Improvement Program to help pay for the extension.
Funding for the street portion of Sanibel Drive, the 44th Avenue sanitary sewer and the 44th Avenue water services will come out of the city’s Revolving Improvement Fund. The city will recoup the costs over time through water and sewer connections as development occurs.
The funding for the storm sewer will come from a combination of state aid construction funds and stormwater utility funds.
ADVERTISEMENT
