Canal Street Improvement Project

The groundbreaking ceremonies for the Canal Street transportation enhancement project were held Monday, May 9, 2005, at the environmental services lot located next to Mark Cook Builders on Canal Street 1/2 block South of U. S. Highway 441 in Leesburg.

The project will replace and upgrade the existing water and sewer lines. The project also includes sidewalks, a multi-purpose trail, raised medians, landscaping and greenway features. Re-use water and fiber optic cable will be added, and electric services will be put underground.

The completion of this project will accomplish several objectives: to add traffic calming measures to the roadway, improve pedestrian traffic, add another element to the City’s Trail System, and enhance the character of this vital business corridor.
This project is another new feature that will help enliven the historic business area and draw new visitors and customers into this revitalized business area by enhancing our gateway to downtown.

The project will consist of 3 phases, affecting the areas of Canal Street between Dixie Avenue and U.S. Hwy 441:

• Phase One will completely close the intersection of Canal Street and Main Street for an estimated two months, Monday, May 9 through July 9, 2005.
• Phase Two will close Canal Street from Dixie Avenue to Main Street for an estimated four months, July through October, 2005.
• Phase Three will close Canal Street from Main Street to US 441 for an estimated six months, possibly November, 2005 through April, 2006.

Closures associated with Phases Two and Three will provide access to affected local businesses. The contractor has been given 380 days to complete the work. It is the city’s goal to keep disruption to travel and doing business along Canal Street to a minimum during construction. To this end we will update any closures and detours in press releases to our local newspapers and on our web site (www.leesburgflorida.gov).

We want you to be safe during construction and encourage you to stay abreast of the latest notices and information.

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