PINELLAS PARK - Work will begin Monday on what is arguably the county's most bone-jarring railroad crossing.
While it will be irksome to detour around the work, the improvements should be finished in time to give a holiday present to drivers who frequent 62nd Avenue N just west of 49th Street.
The project is part of a $1.2-million contract the Pinellas County Commission recently awarded.
Other crossings scheduled for improvement under the contract are on Starkey Road between Ulmerton and Bryan Dairy roads; on Enterprise Road between McMullen-Booth Road and Philippe Parkway; and at Old Coachman and NE Coachman roads.
The 62nd Avenue crossing will be completely redone.
"There's quite a bit of work to do there," said Robert Guercia, a senior engineer with the county. "They're basically going to have to rebuild a portion of the road."
CSX will put in heavy-duty railroad ties, and a concrete surface will replace the asphalt paving while ironing out the bumps across the tracks.
The county will install sidewalks and curbs as well as improve the road itself.
Pinellas Park will also be involved. Officials there will make sure their water pipes are not damaged while the work goes on.
With all that, the work is expected to take the entire 30 days alloted under the contract.
"If they can be out sooner, so be it," said Guercia, the engineer.
Beginning about 6 a.m. Monday, traffic will be routed around the intersection to 70th and 54th avenues.
