Current Status
The Bluford Avenue Reconstruction Project was awarded to Oelrich Construction, Inc. of Jonesville, FL. Currently Bluford Avenue is closed to all traffic due to construction related activities from North of the Delaware Street / Bluford Avenue intersection to South of the McKey Street / Bluford Avenue intersection. Due to Utility & Stormwater connections that need to be made into McKey Street; the decision has been made to split the currently closed down construction area of Bluford Avenue into (2) Phases: Phase 1 & Phase 2.
Phase 1 work area is defined as the north of the Magnolia Street / Bluford Avenue intersection to the south end of the project at Delaware Avenue. Phase 2 is defined as the northern most project area south of the McKey Street / Bluford Avenue intersection to the north of the Magnolia Street / Bluford Avenue intersection. Construction related work will conclude in Phase 1 on March 30th, 2018, barring any major unforeseen issues. Construction related work will conclude in Phase 2 on April 11th, 2018, allowing time to make the necessary connections to continue to progress the project.
Week of February 26, 2018 – March 2, 2018
Sodding on Lafayette Street is to be placed in the right of way Wednesday of next week but will be completely laid by the end of the work week. The large stormwater structures and piping installation has been completed. The reclaimed water system installation has also been completed. All overall construction subgrade installations are headed north from Floral Street to Magnolia Street as we prepare for next weeks “Rock & Curb” & “Storm Grates & Sanitary Sewer” installations. Also this week has started the installation of the irrigation sleeves, and limerock setting and roadway curbing of Bluford Avenue in Phase 1. All of these activities are slated to be completed by the end of this work week. The completion of these activities will begin our march into the finishing of Bluford Avenue in Phase 1.
The Bluford Avenue Reconstruction Project will cost a total of $9,680,000 of which $4,280,000 comes from general bond funds, $2,400,000 comes from the utility bond funds, and $3,000,000 comes from the stormwater utility revenues. The project consists of reconstructing Bluford Avenue from Delaware Street to Silver Star Road concurrent with the installation of water and sanitary sewer utilities, stormwater management, and roadside landscaping. Additionally, $800,000 to have the powerlines installed underground.
Bluford Avenue is the central transportation facility for north bound and south bound traffic through the city of Ocoee; extending from Old Winter Garden Road south of Ocoee to Silver Star Road north of Ocoee and through its functional extension as Lakewood Avenue to the SR 429 interchange at Clarcona-Ocoee Road. The intent of the streetscape project is to develop a boulevard appearance, after construction of the utilities and stormwater facilities, that will support adjacent higher density development.
General Fund Capital Bond Construction Schedule
Using the "Construction Manager at Risk" method, the preliminary design should be completed by the time construction funding is available. The project will include a portion of the Downtown Gravity Sewer and the Master Downtown Stormwater system pipeline installation.
