Sarasota moves forward with I-75 overpass idea

SARASOTA — Sarasota County commissioners have unofficially put a new overpass across Interstate 75 on the map.

Commissioners agreed Dec. 9 to add to the county’s comprehensive plan a proposed overpass across I-75 that links the future Lakewood Ranch Boulevard extension from the east to Cattlemen Road to the west. They also added a second phase extension to Honore Avenue and waived scoping requirements.

Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch is committed to funding $7.5 million toward potential improvements associated with development of its Villages of Lakewood Ranch South project.

The decision last week is the first step in moving the project forward and selects it over other transportation improvements that have been considered.

“It’s a big deal because we’re preparing for the expansion of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and with that, this is part of the grid system to connect the eastern part of the county,” Commissioner Christine Robinson said. “This is really important. It will be a reliever for the traffic on University (Parkway) and on Fruitville (Road), even.”

Sarasota County will designate a portion of the $7.5 million toward the design of the overpass, which will make the project “shovel ready” — a status that may help the county secure state or federal dollars for construction, Robinson said.

Jason Bartolone, spokesman for Sarasota County, said county staff will coordinate neighborhood meetings about the project before it goes to the Sarasota Planning Commission and Sarasota County Commission for recommendation and approval, respectively, sometime in 2015.

“This still needs approval of the board because it would have to be added to the thoroughfare plan,” Bartolone said. “The county recognizes that’s a project that’s needed and we support moving forward with it.”

SMR President and CEO Rex Jensen said he is preparing to hire an engineer for the project and is waiting to finalize an agreement with Sarasota County before doing so.

SMR already has hired Kimley-Horn and Associates to engineer the extension of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard south from its villages project to Fruitville Road. The overpass would connect to that roadway.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].