Major project happening along US 41 in Sarasota, replacing water main

SARASOTA, Fla. - Crews in Sarasota are working to replace a major water main. Over the decades, they've seen problems with aging and breaks in the system. 

It's a large-scale project that will have an impact on drivers.

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What we know:

Along US-41 in Sarasota, crews are working carefully to install a new water main under the roadway. 

"We designed this project three times to ensure that whatever we are doing now is the best we can offer," said Georges Nicolas, the utilities engineering manager for the City of Sarasota. 

The project costs around $29 million and will replace aging infrastructure. 

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"The existing water main is eight-inch asbestos cement. Back in the day, in the 1960s, we started putting in nationwide and this is not unique to the City of Sarasota, this is all over the place," said Nicolas. 

Why you should care:

Sarasota City commissioners approved the project in 2019. The work comes at a time when the water main faced stressors from last year's hurricane season and has been jostled by new construction. 

"If you leave the pipe in place, it’s totally safe, health wise, it’s fine to consume, but when you start disturbing that pipe or if there’s other utilities working around the pipe and the ground starts shifting, and you start accessing those valves, then that pipe is so brittle and old it has a tendency of breaking," said Nicholas. 

Dig deeper:

Closures along North Tamiami Trail will be seen over the next three years as the work moves from 14th Street, North to University Parkway. The new main is expected to help the city for decades to come. 

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"That will help us provide the capacity that we need for the next 50-60 years as North Trail is being developed. It’s better connected, better to operate, better to isolate," said Nicholas. 

For information on the project and a timeline on the project, click here.