County Expects to Complete 44th Ave. E. Extension by August
By Lisa Neff
The “road to nowhere” is no more.
In August, possibly before kids return to school, Manatee County plans to fully open the 44th Avenue East extension, which over the years has been referred to as the “road to nowhere” due to delays, uncertainties and the length of construction, which began in 2013.
“What we are here to tell you today is the ‘road to nowhere’ is very, very nearly complete,” county public works director Chad Butzow told county commissioners June 3.
He added, “Our goal, our desire, our dream is to have it open by the time school opens. … because of the extreme benefit that opening this road can bring to the community.”
Butzow, presenting a status update at the administration building in Bradenton, described the extension as the county’s most visible project, a robust remark considering the scope of the county’s capital improvements program.
The goal with building the extension has been to open up another east-west corridor. Along the way toward completion, the county has dealt with challenges, including using eminent domain for land acquisition, obtaining permits from state and federal agencies, relocating gopher tortoises, monitoring eagles, coordinating interstate lane closures and working with Florida Power and Light to move transmission towers.
The first phase of the project — improvements from First Street east to 15th Street East and a new extension east to 19th Street Court East was completed in 2015.
The next phase — from 19th Street Court East to 30th Street East — took place from 2016 to 2018.
The section from 30th Street East to 45th Street East was completed nearly along the same timeline, was the widening of 45th Street East from 44th to State Road 70 to deal with increased traffic.
The next stage — described by public works in a memo as “a major effort” — went from 45th Street East over the Braden River, past Caruso/Morgan Johnson Road to Creekwood Boulevard, “just shy of I-75.”
The work was completed in 2023, resulting, according to the county, in a “major benefit for those making daily commutes east-west to and from downtown/beaches and the Interstate corridor.”
The final phase goes from the west side of Interstate 75 over the interstate, past a connection to Lena Road at a roundabout, over a reclaimed water pond and connecting to Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.
Additional work already completed has the roadway already extended east to Bourneside Boulevard.
When the final phase opens, a motorist will be able to travel from as far east as Bourneside Boulevard to U.S. 41/First Street/Cortez Road without using State Road 70 or State Road 64.
The last phase began in December 2023 with a groundbreaking west of I-75 and a completion date of April 2026. The opening date was then moved to late December and now the county is looking at a ribbon-cutting in August.
County commissioners are ready to see the results.
Commissioner Chair George Kruse, District 7, said he’s curious to see how fully opening the extension will impact rush-hour traffic on Morgan-Johnson Road.
Commissioner Tal Siddique, District 3, said, “One of the things I’d be curious to see … is traffic counts on the new stretch of road that we’re building. … I’d be curious to see what the data shows.”
Butzow replied, “It’ll be very interesting to see how quickly it ramps up. … I would expect 20,000 plus cars on Day 2.”
He also said traffic counts from other corridors, including State Road 64 and State Road 70, will be interesting.
About the extension
• The extension was part of the 1968 Concept Development Plan and then later incorporated into the Manatee County 1989 Comprehensive Plan and adopted Capital Improvements Plan.
• The extension is intended to provide additional roadway capacity to meet Manatee County’s growth
• Construction on the first segment of the 44th Avenue East extension project began in 2013.
For more about the project, go online to 44thaveeast.com.