CLEARWATER, Fla. – If you’re heading toward the north end of Clearwater Beach this week, you might want to give yourself a serious head start. Starting today, May 11, the city is shutting down the northbound travel lane at the Acacia roundabout to knock out some necessary utility and roadway upgrades.
City officials say the work is scheduled to wrap up by May 15, though the actual construction should only take about two to three days within that window, depending on how things go. While the crews are working, anyone driving north on Mandalay Avenue will be sent on a brief detour.
The official route kicks drivers east onto Somerset Street, then snakes through Bay Esplanade, Acacia Street, and Bruce Avenue before hitting Jewel Street to get back onto Mandalay.
It sounds like a lot of turns, but the city designed the path specifically to make sure larger trucks can actually fit without clipping curbs on the narrower side streets.
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There are a few local spots getting squeezed, too. Westbound Acacia Street is closed at the median near 34 Acacia St., and the southern exit of the circular driveway at 701 Mandalay Ave. is being blocked off while the work zone is active. However, if you’re trying to get to 695 Mandalay Ave., access is staying open.
The good news? Southbound traffic on Mandalay isn’t affected at all. If you’re coming south on Eldorado Avenue or heading east on Acacia, you can still enter the roundabout—you’ll just be forced to exit south.
The city has already started putting up warning signs, but the bottom line for drivers is simple: stay alert, watch the flags, and maybe check MyClearwater.com/Roads for any last-minute updates before you shift into gear.
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