Four downtown intersections along U.S. 41 Business will get a
makeover.
Work on the intersection at Indian Avenue begins June 17, with a 3-foot
widening that will allow a dedicated right-turn lane on westbound Indian onto
northbound U.S. 41 Business. The sidewalk on the south side of Indian will be
replaced and the southeast corner will be upgraded to ADA standards. Milling,
paving and striping in the area will be done during the day.
Ajax Paving Industries of Florida and Lighthouse Engineering Inc. will make
the intersections at Tampa, Venice and Miami avenues ADA compliant and improve
safety for all pedestrians. This work begins July 7 and will be done at night,
Sunday through Thursday. It is expected to be completed by mid
September.
The road footprint will not change, but damaged sidewalk panels will be
replaced, and new
patterned, textured crosswalks will be installed. The road
between all intersections will be milled, paved and striped.
The $425,000 project is fully funded by Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan
Planning Organization.
Emergency services benefit from grants
Venice Police Department received $3,439 from the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement Justice Assistance Grant for the purchase of Tasers.
Tasers are non-lethal electroshock weapons, also known as stun guns, that
temporarily disrupt the voluntary control of muscles.
Venice Fire
Department received a grant of about $311,000 from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant program to purchase new
radios with amplifiers that allow the radios to work inside hardened
buildings, five thermal imaging cameras, and mobile data terminals.
The P-25
compliant radios allow Venice firefighters to communicate with other
emergency responders throughout the state during a catastrophic event. The
new cameras, which can help firefighters find people in heavy smoke, and
radios are replacing outdated technology. Sen. Bill Nelson was instrumental
in helping Venice bolster its emergency safety equipment
with this
grant.
