SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — An effort to enhance the experience and safety of cyclists and pedestrians using The Legacy Trail in Sarasota has advanced.
We now know what a pair of proposed pedestrian overpasses along the trail would look like. The new design was just released to the public at the Sarasota County Commission meeting Tuesday.
They are supposed to cross over Clark Road and Bee Ridge Road, which are major thoroughfares.
Many of the trails' users said they are eager for the completion of the project and can't wait for the pedestrian overpasses proposed for both roads.
"It is somewhat concerning crossing Clark Road," Frank Wright of Sarasota said. "It's a very busy intersection and it would be very beneficial for us to have a bridge that would keep the residents safe."
Over the years, as the trail has expanded in length and usage, concerns about safety keep growing and cyclists and pedestrians have many tales of close calls.
"I'm very careful but a few days ago I was here at this light, I got the walk sign, and I started going across. I was about halfway across and cars in the two closer lanes were stopped," said Hal Munter, a cyclist living in Sarasota, said. "I saw a truck coming, and I decided I'm not going to take a chance, and the truck went right on through the red light. There are so many vehicles that go through the red lights, it's sad."
"Not everyone follows the actual stop signs so it is still dangerous," said Wright, also an avid cyclist.
County leaders and staff with the Florida Department of Transportation hope the overpasses will make it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross while using The Legacy Trail.
During the presentation at the meeting, FDOT engineers said the designs are similar to the overpasses built earlier along the trail such as at Laurel Road.
"I've seen other ones at Laurel Road and US-41 in Venice and they're wonderful so you know you can cross safely," Munter said.
The project's lead engineer said the project is in phase 4 where adjustments to the design can still be requested by the commission.
The cost of construction for the two overpasses is approximately $11.5 million and comes from a combination of FDOT grants, county and donor funding. The FDOT team plans to stay on track for construction to begin in Fall 2023.
"It would keep continuous flow not only with the traffic but as well as the pedestrians riding the bikes across," Wright said.
Once construction begins next fall, engineers hope to finish the pedestrian bridges by November 2024.