SR 19 Paving Paving Projects Could Push Parades To Side Street

    The City of Umatilla, after meeting with officials with Umatilla High School, has announced a provisional route for this fall’s Umatilla High School Homecoming Parade. The parade, slated for November 3 this year, might have to be moved if a SR 19 repaving project isn’t complete by the time the parade arrives.
    The Florida Department of Transportation is currently undertaking improvements to SR 19 through downtown Umatilla, a project that is including new pavement in addition to roadside curb improvements. City officials have said the work isn’t contractually due to be finished until early December, a date that could also move the town Christmas parade off the street. However, it is believed the work should be done by December, and maybe even by early November, before the Homecoming Parade.
    But just in case, an alternate route for the parades has been conceived, and released by the city in the past week.
    The route involves the creation of a staging area in a large field along Trowell Avenue and behind A&M Auto Parts. Additional staging will be utilized on Lakeside Street behind city hall, wrapping around to the south end of Trowell Avenue. The parade itself will run from the south end of Trowell north to Bulldog Lane at Umatilla High School, and turn right, before terminating at the North Orange Avenue intersection.