Oil Well Road Makeover

One of the new destination signs.

Oil Well Road is currently undergoing an exciting transformation through two distinct projects designed to enhance safety, improve the area’s appearance, and elevate the overall quality of life for residents. The first of these projects is dedicated to installing modern street lighting, aiming to brighten up the area for both pedestrians and drivers. Simultaneously, the second project focuses on beautifying the surroundings near the Arthrex Commerce Park through landscaping efforts. These initiatives are progressing on individual schedules.

A total of 24 new lights will be installed along Oil Well Road, with 14 placed to the west of Ave Maria Boulevard and the remaining 10 to the east. The new lighting is expected to decrease nighttime crashes and improve navigation, significantly enhancing safety for everyone. The lights will be mounted on sturdy 35-foot-tall aluminum poles, each featuring 8-foot arms with LED fixtures to provide bright and energy-efficient illumination.

The design of the new lights.

The project, initially slated for completion by November this year, is ahead of schedule. Ted Tryka, the district engineer who manages the contract, stated, “The project is ahead of schedule with a projected completion date before the end of summer.”

Two new destination signs were also installed as part of the lighting project to improve the visibility of Ave Maria’s entrance.

In addition to the new lighting and signage, a robust landscaping project is planned to create a unified and aesthetically pleasing environment along Oil Well Road. The Town of Ave Maria Development standards mandate a 30-foot wide buffer along the road adjacent to Arthrex Commerce Park. This buffer will feature clusters of existing palm trees and a continuous hedgerow of shrubs.

The new landscape plan aims to enhance the existing palm tree arrangement by incorporating Buttonwoods and Bottlebrushes for a more diverse mid-sized tree composition. Bismarck Palms will serve as focal points, complemented by a uniform hedge line for a cohesive look. The proposal also introduces curved shrub beds featuring Firebush, Variegated Schefflera, Jasmine, and Muhly Grass to enrich the garden’s texture and color palette.

Steve Sammons, senior landscape architect of town developer Barron Collier Companies’

Peninsula Engineering, said, “Those plants were chosen for hardiness, ability to fill in together to create a healthy buffer and allow for a variety of textures and colors that will be repeated along the length of the buffer for consistency.”

These landscape enhancements are scheduled for installation on the north side of the canal berm on both sides of Ave Maria Boulevard, from Arthrex Commerce Drive to the sod farm entry drive.

“The project’s duration is expected to take 16 weeks once the contractor is given the notice to proceed, so that would put the project being completed by the end of November at the latest,” Sammons said.

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