City commissioners are moving forward with design plans for a long-awaited reconstruction and widening of East Orange Street that could cost up to $2.2 million and be funded through the downtown Community Redevelopment Agency next fiscal year.
The project would address the deteriorating brick roadway between Pinellas and Safford avenues, which currently fails to meet modern fire code requirements with drive lanes only 9 feet wide instead of the required 10 feet.
During their July 22 meeting, commissioners approved design work for the project after reviewing three alternatives presented by interim Public Works and Project Administration Director Bob Robertson.