Stretch of McMullen Booth Rd. to Close

A word of warning for those of you who drive East Lake/McMullen Booth Rd., your southbound commute could get ugly, beginning tonight.

The southbound lanes along a stretch of McMullen Booth Rd. in Palm Harbor will close around 5pm Tuesday, so crews can repair a broken water main. The southbound lanes involved are between Tampa and Curlew roads. 

This construction will likely have a big impact on drivers who commute south from the East Lake community. This is because East Lake Rd. changes names and becomes McMullen Booth Rd. at the intersection of Tampa Rd, where the closure begins.

The lanes will not reopen until construction is finished, according to Pinellas County Communications Spokesperson, David Baker.

"It will be at least several days, the pipe is 20 feet below the ground," he said.

Baker is urging drivers to take alternate routes.

During the repair, southbound traffic will be detoured to Tampa Rd., then west to U.S. 19 North, then south to Curlew Rd. and east back to McMullen Booth Rd.

The water main that will be repaired is a drinking water line. That water main will be closed, but residents will still have drinking water during the construction period. Baker says the county has the ability to reroute drinking water lines.