Barrier island leaders frustrated with state of area traffic study

So far, leaders of the barrier islands are frustrated with the state of a long-awaited area traffic study.

“Right now, we have no roadmap forward on this study at all,” said Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson at the latest Barrier Islands Elected Officials meeting, which was held at Longboat Key Town Hall on Wednesday, July 19.

At the meeting, which was also attended by representatives of Longboat, Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach, Johnson initiated discussion of the Sarasota/Manatee Barrier Islands Traffic Study. The study, which is a project of the Florida Department of Transportation, is an examination of how to improve the flow of traffic to, from and on Longboat, Anna Maria Island and Lido Key.

On May 23, FDOT and Stantec, the department’s consultant, hosted the study’s first steering committee meeting. While the meeting initially encouraged island leaders, they said on Wednesday that there has been little communication with FDOT or Stantec representatives since.

“I’m a little disappointed that there hasn’t been more updates, emails, something,” said Longboat Key Town Manager Dave Bullock.

Like other island officials, Bullock expected FDOT’s consultant to meet with barrier islands representatives every month or so to discuss the progress of the study.

“It does not appear to be that the consultant or FDOT had that understanding,” Bullock said.

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy referred to the situation as a “communication breakdown.”

FDOT aims to complete the study in three phases, with an ultimate goal of determining specific recommendations by fall 2018.

In June, FDOT announced completion of the study’s first phase, which is a review of available studies and transportation plans regarding the barrier islands to compile a summary of recommendations.

However, Bullock noted that FDOT is actively collecting traffic data for the study and he’s heard little from the department about progress in that regard.

FDOT spokesman Zac Burch said the next steering committee meeting for the study will be held in early October, though there is no exact date as of yet. He also noted that FDOT estimates the cost of the study will be $942,000.

In May, Jack Daly, a Longboat commissioner and Metropolitan Planning Organization representative, said he hopes FDOT will not overlook in the study potential major infrastructure changes to the barrier islands.