Fort Lauderdale residents around Central Beach are in for an infrastructure detour as city officials have begun the repair of a damaged 18-inch sewer force main near 2901 Vistamar Street. The city and David Mancini & Sons, Inc. (DMSI) are spearheading this necessary fix, with an operation that kicked off on June 14. According to an announcement by the City of Fort Lauderdale, it's expected to be a two-week process.

For those counting, that's 14 days of crews busy from dawn till long after dusk; specifically, from 8 in the morning to 10 at night, every day of the week. Sometimes, there will be activity after hours too, especially if the tide's schedule suggests an easier tango with groundwater. As with any outdoor endeavor in Florida, a curveball from Mother Nature might nudge that timeline one way or another.

During this sewer saga, nearby locals might want to bring out their earplugs and eye masks. The city has acknowledged that there will be "intermittent noise from heavy machinery, equipment and backup alarms" and that while temporary lights will brighten the night for workers, they'll be a beacon of annoyance for others. The upside? DMSI's team is apparently on a mission to keep that light and clamor to a relative minimum.

In the meantime, drivers will need to give their GPS devices a workout. Vistamar Street has pulled its disappearing act between Antioch Avenue and Orton Avenue, shooing traffic towards detours on Orton Avenue, Terramar Street, and Antioch Avenue. Road signs, rather than breadcrumbs, will help navigate this temporary labyrinth. And for those behind the wheel, a general word of advice: caution is your co-pilot.