PINELLAS COUNTY, FL. – Pinellas County Utilities will start repairs on a leaking 48-inch water main under the westbound lanes of State Road 580 (S.R. 580), just west of McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater, tomorrow, Saturday, March 12, 2022.
Eastbound lanes will remain open, but all motorists are encouraged to avoid the area if possible and to expect delays for the duration of the project. The repair is projected to take up to three weeks, with a scheduled completion date of Friday, April 3.
Detours will be clearly marked and in place ahead of the closure. Traffic will be routed around the project site by sending westbound motorists south and north at the intersection of S.R. 580 and McMullen Booth Road.
To aid traffic flow, an additional turning lane will be added to the traffic pattern at the intersection, with a total of three lanes turning south. Travelers who choose to turn south on McMullen Booth Road will be directed to use Enterprise Road to travel west to U.S. 19. Travelers who choose to turn north on McMullen Booth Road can use Curlew Road or Tampa Road to travel further west.
In addition, variable message boards are currently in place warning motorists about the closure. Message boards are deployed on westbound S.R. 580 and Tampa Road in Oldsmar and along McMullen Booth Road, north of Curlew Road and south of Enterprise Road.
The message boards are positioned so that motorists can choose to avoid the area completely by diverting to Tampa Road or Curlew Road to the north of the project area or by choosing to turn south on Philippe Parkway.
A separate detour plan for Countryside High School employees, students, and parents will be in place. The approach to enter the school parking lot and drop-off area will be from Charles Avenue, which intersects S.R. 580 at the main entrance to Countryside High School.
Charles Avenue can be accessed by turning south from S.R. 580 onto McMullen Booth Road and then turning west onto Charles Avenue. The detour will send motorists north on Charles Avenue through the signaled intersection in a single lane across the worksite to the school’s main entrance.
Off-duty Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies will man the intersection of S.R. 580 and Charles Avenue to keep traffic flowing and maintain pedestrian safety in the area.
Sidewalks along the northern side of S.R. 580 in the vicinity of the project will also be closed, impacting Countryside High School students who walk to school and other pedestrians. The closure will send pedestrians to the south side of S.R. 580 at the intersections of Landmark Drive and at Charles Avenue.
The pedestrian detours will be clearly marked.
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