PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Drivers in Pinellas County could experience delays as Duke Energy completes work ahead of hurricane season on Wednesday.

The work is the final phase of a project the company has been working on since 2023. Delays could build on U.S. 19 and Alternate U.S. 19.

Crews are building a new, higher voltage transmission line. Leaders with Duke Energy say, once complete, it will deliver more reliable power to customers in the area.

New poles and lines were installed from the Anclote substation to the Tarpon Springs substation, ahead of Wednesday’s work. Linemen from a helicopter will place spacers between the lines and bird diverters to complete the project.

Audrey Stasko says the project is dual purpose. She explains, “Say something comes in contact with those lines, we’re able to reroute that power using a different pathway. It absolutely helps shorten restoration times, prevent outages and meet that growing demand.”

Areas where drivers can expect traffic delays include:

• Alternate U.S. 19 from Holiday Lake Drive to Anclote Boulevard

• U.S. 19 from North Tarpon Avenue to Nothern Tool

• Pinellas Trail, west of the Tarpon Glen Community

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