U.S. Highway 17 from the Charlotte/DeSoto County line to SW Collins Street — Work continues to widen four miles of U.S. 17 from two to four lanes. Crews currently are converting original U.S. 17 travel lanes to future southbound travel lanes through the entire length of the project. Workers are paving new lanes and installing retention ponds, water lines, drain pipes, silt fences, sod and mulch. Weather permitting, from S.W. Collins Street to the DeSoto/Charlotte County line, motorists should expect daytime flagging operations at side streets intersecting with original U.S. 17 lanes presently closed or under construction. Flagging also will occur where County Road 761 intersects with now closed (future southbound) U.S. 17 travel lanes. Flagging does not affect lanes on U.S. 17 open to traffic. Project completion is expected at the end of 2012.