Cumberland Avenue area motorists should anticipate a seven-hour closure of a two-block section of the westbound “Strip” as City crews make repairs to public infrastructure at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Feb. 28.

The reconstruction of Cumberland Avenue, a $25 million public investment, was completed less than five years ago – but the high-density multi-use corridor requires vigilant care and periodic maintenance.

Illegal turns by large commercial trucks at Cumberland and 17th have destroyed a protective bollard system and pulverized the sidewalk on the northwest corner. (Previously, a utility box once was destroyed at this intersection, and a traffic signal pole there has been hit by a large truck. The bollards have been struck and repaired six times.) Commercial trucks traveling southbound on 17th Street are directed by signs to steer clear of “The Strip” by traversing White Avenue to 16th Street.

City crews will be replacing and heavily reinforcing the bollards and repairing the crumbled sidewalk at Cumberland and 17th beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday. The work is expected to be completed and Cumberland reopened at around 7 a.m.

During those night-time and early-morning hours, westbound Cumberland Avenue will be closed at 17th Street, and through traffic will be detoured to Volunteer Boulevard. Westbound Cumberland will remain open at the 18th Street intersection and further westward.

The far-right turn lane on southbound 17th will be closed from White to Cumberland until midday Monday. The sidewalk will be closed on the corner of 17th and Cumberland.

“The sidewalk there is in especially bad shape and needs immediate attention,” said Downtown Coordinator Rick Emmett, who also serves as a community liaison in the Cumberland Avenue, South Waterfront and Central Avenue areas. “By doing this work at night, we hope to minimize any disruption. We appreciate everyone’s patience.”