West Villages Parkway Update

District Engineer, JP Marchand, provided an update on West Villages Parkway and River Rd. - Hwy 41 intersection construction.  All good news.

Surveyors began work on Monday laying out turn lanes and tie-ins at the Hwy 41 - West Villages Parkway intersection. Construction here will begin shortly and the intersection should be completed before Christmas. Completion of this intersection should also mark the official opening of the Parkway segment from Hwy 41 to River Rd.  There is no traffic light planned for the Hwy 41 intersection at this time.

Only one small parcel of land acquisition is holding up completion of the Parkway segment from Hwy 41 to the South County Resource Center.  This should be acquired shortly and the new portion of roadway completed by year end as well.  Then, traffic will be moved onto the new road way, and the old existing 2 lane road will be improved and a center median created to finish this segment of the Parkway.

Mr. Marchand stated that completion of the very South end of the existing new Parkway road is the responsibility of Pulte Homes. They own the land there, and they will create the new entrance and connection to the IslandWalk village from the South end of the Parkway.  The exact timing of this work depends on home sales and the desires of the City of North Port; but should happen sometime early to mid-2011.

Improvement of the River Rd. - Hwy 41 intersection will not begin until late 2011.  Much of the delay has been due to Fourth Quarter Properties NOT completing the sale of necessary land in the Northwest corner of the intersection.  Apparently, they want MORE than the county is willing to pay.  The county is pursuing legal action to "seize" the land which will allow construction plans to move forward.  The earliest this seizure could take place would be February, 2011.  About 6 additional months would be required to bid and award the actual construction contract.

I guess I'm not the only one who thinks Fourth Quarter Properties is getting TOO MUCH for the land they are selling to government for infrastructure improvements!  Its too bad that WVID was not given eminent domain authority.  I wonder why?