from the desk of:
Tom Barwin
Sarasota City Manager
February 28, 2020
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Thank you for reading this week's edition! If you have questions, comments or suggestions for topics, please contact us directly: 941-263-6402 or
CityNews@SarasotaFL.Gov
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City Commission
Monday, March 2 - 1:30 p.m. & 6 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Downtown Improvement District
Tuesday, March 3 - 9 a.m.
City Hall Annex - SRQ Media Studio
Development Review Committee
Wednesday, March 4 - 9 a.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
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US 41-Fruitville Rd. Roundabout – Traffic Changes Start Week of March 1
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The new temporary traffic patterns for the US 41-Fruitville Road roundabout are set to begin the week of March 1. To minimize impacts, the shifts will occur overnight. While the contractor has a lot of work to do yet, they are cautiously optimistic the traffic shifts will occur over two nights this coming Monday and Tuesday. The construction crew lost nearly a day’s work due to a mandated shutdown to accommodate a dignitary traveling through Sarasota on US 41 today (Feb. 28).
With that, we are hopeful and anticipate the changes will occur as follows:
March 1-2: Sunday night/Monday morning:
- SB US 41 will be shifted onto the new diversion road so the roundabout can be constructed to the east.
- Left turn from NB US 41 to WB Boulevard of the Arts will be reinstated.
- WB Fruitville Rd. from Cocoanut Ave. to US 41 will be closed to vehicular traffic. This will remain in effect through Summer 2020.
March 2-3: Monday night/Tuesday morning:
- NB US 41 will be shifted onto the new diversion road so the roundabout can be constructed to the east.
- Third left turn from EB Gulfstream Ave. to NB US 41 will return.
On the second day of transition, the traffic signal at Fruitville Rd. will no longer be operational. It’s important to note, though, that eastbound Fruitville Rd. will remain open throughout the entire project.
We cannot emphasize enough for drivers to be alert and prepared for these changes. Placed in and around the city, seven large electronic message boards are now flashing and announcing the new traffic patterns. The project team has been in touch with Google Maps and Waze, which have agreed to display the road closures and alternate routes on their mobile apps.
While reinstating the third left turn lane coming off the Ringling Bridge will facilitate northbound traffic flow, heading westbound to go to the barrier islands will be more challenging.
Westbound motorists on Fruitville Rd. will need to use the signed detour from Fruitville Rd. onto Lemon Ave. to 10th St in order to get to US 41 where they can then go north or southbound.
We encourage you to consider alternate paths now. When these changes occur next week, we’ll all be in the same situation trying to navigate around the temporary closure of Fruitville Rd.
For those interested and able to walk or bicycle, a spacious, temporary multi-use recreational sidewalk up to 12 feet wide will be open to the west of the diversion road on the Quay property. This will be particularly beneficial for visitors who will be able to safely venture on foot or bike from Boulevard of the Arts to the Bayfront.
Please note
:
The project team is coordinating with the SPD Traffic Unit, which will be on site monitoring traffic. We also will be keeping a close eye on potential bottlenecks caused by idling delivery trucks on narrow streets, such as Boulevard of the Arts.
Based on independent engineering analysis, the Fruitville roundabout will cut traffic wait time in half when compared to a traditional signalized intersection. In addition to boosting traffic flow, the roundabout will increase safety for both motorists and pedestrians. The enhanced safety is why FDOT requires roundabouts to be considered first when modifications are made to an intersection. Due to the design, roundabouts reduce vehicle conflicts, such as head-on and side collisions, by 75 percent. For pedestrians the conflicts are cut by 50 percent.
We’ll endure some inconvenience during the construction, but it will come to an end. And when it does, our Sarasota community, which embraces pedestrian connectivity and cycling, will have a transformative transportation enhancement that we anticipate will perform well for years to come for our full-time and seasonal residents and visitors who gravitate to Sarasota because of our cultural arts, active downtown and natural beauty. The US 41-Fruitville Road roundabout will help connect all those special aspects which define Sarasota. We appreciate your patience, and we’ll continue to keep you posted.
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Official detour for the US 41-Fruitville Rd. roundabout
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Sarasota in Motion – Open House March 10
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With traffic and transportation on many people’s minds, it’s a great time for our citizens to consider taking part in the first citywide transportation master plan, “Sarasota In Motion,” by attending one of two upcoming open house meetings.
Anyone who lives, works or plays in Sarasota is welcome to attend either of the sessions, both of which will cover the same material, on Tuesday, March 10:
- Open house No. 1: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bayfront Community Center, 803 N. Tamiami Trail
- Open house No. 2: 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St.
There, you’ll have a chance to review and provide feedback on the draft project list developed since the transportation planning process kicked off last year. We’re now in the third phase of Sarasota In Motion, which will serve as a playbook for how the City not only invests in transportation infrastructure, but also how it achieves the community’s long-term quality of life goals.
We’ve engaged with many citizens throughout this process and gathered lots of valuable input, much of which focuses on ways to make the City’s roadways safer and more accommodating for bicyclists and pedestrians. Now, we’re working on identifying actual projects and investments that will reshape our transportation network.
For more information, to provide your input with our dedicated Planning Department staff working on this initiative, or to subscribe to the Sarasota In Motion email list for future updates and events, visit
SarasotaInMotion.com
or email
SarasotaInMotion@SarasotaFL.gov
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Transportation – Community Conversation
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Our talented transportation planning staff is eager to engage with the community about mobility and our long-term vision not just during designated open houses but also informal get togethers.
Earlier this week, staff participated in a thoughtful conversation at BookStore1 in downtown on these very topics. Most of the 50 or so people in attendance expressed enthusiastic support for multi-modal options, saying they like to be able to safely walk or cycle, especially in the downtown core area. Some also were interested in discussing mass transit, micro-transit and the possibility of light rail connectivity to Bradenton and Tampa.
Our staff is committed to examining and considering all feasible multi-modal options. More and more, we’re realizing just how much we as a society have relied on cars to move us places. Now, through master planning and community input, we’re in the process of shifting our mindset to moving
people
not cars. Offering alternatives to the automobile will help alleviate traffic congestion in Sarasota and the region.
Our staff enjoys having informal discussions with local groups when schedules allow. Interested in booking a meeting? Please contact
SarasotaInMotion@SarasotaFL.Gov
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Grand Re-opening - Paul Thorpe Jr. Park/Lemon Ave.: March 6
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We hope you can attend a block party next Friday, March 6 from 5-8 p.m. to celebrate the grand re-opening of Paul Thorpe Jr. Park and the completion of the Lemon Avenue Streetscape project.
The free event, featuring live music and refreshments, will start at the park at 5 p.m. and will flow into a portion of the newly renovated Lemon Avenue, which will be temporarily closed to vehicles from State St. to Pineapple Ave. for the celebration.
More residents are living downtown, and the redesign of Lemon Ave. and renovation of Paul Thorpe Jr. Park, offer a more pedestrian-friendly experience by removing curbs and installing decorative brick pavers, new landscaping and streetlights. The park is a wonderful tribute to Paul Thorpe, known to many as "Mr. Downtown". He strived to make downtown a vibrant destination and the park bearing his name, without doubt, will become a focal point for downtown residents and employees as well as visitors, including the thousands who attend the Saturday Farmers Market.
During the construction, City staff coordinated closely with The Mark, a mixed-use development, which just opened across the street, and all 157 units are now sold. During the block party, The Mark will officially unveil its eye-catching public art contribution.
Please join us as we celebrate the grand re-opening of the park and Lemon Ave. and embrace our urban lifestyle!
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St. Armands Garage – Project of the Year Award
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We may be a bit biased, but since the St. Armands Garage opened in February 2019, we’ve thought it is special. The unique design, coupled with solar panels that help power the structure, public restrooms, bicycle storage (and now bike rental) and 484 covered parking spaces (including five EV charging stations) within a short walk to St. Armands Circle create a memorable space and experience.
Now, it’s been recognized as the Project of the Year by the Suncoast Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers!
City staff, including Parking Division Manager Mark Lyons, Planning Director Steve Cover, Public Works General Manager Mike DelRossi, City Engineer Alex Davis Shaw, Sustainability Manager Stevie Freeman-Montes, Acting Development Services Director Gretchen Schneider and Assistant City Manager John Lege worked diligently alongside St. Armands Business Improvement District founder Marty Rappaport, the St. Armands Circle property owners, St. Armands Key residents, Solstice Planning and Architecture, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Haskell and Jon F. Swift Construction to ensure a high quality product was funded, designed and delivered.
Not only is it a beautiful structure, it’s functional, sustainable, convenient, and at 50 cents per hour it’s very affordable for users. Next time you’re in St. Armands, check it out. The garage is located at 57 N. Adams Dr. adjacent to the Fire Station 3.
Congratulations to all involved!
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Left to right: Lee En Chung, Engineering Inspector; Mark Santos, Engineer of Record; Diana Corrigan, St. Armands Circle Association Executive Director; Steve Cover, Planning Director; Mark Lyons, Parking Division Manager
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Bike Sharing – Program Expanded
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The City continues to seek improvements to our multimodal network that encourage alternative modes of transportation, alleviate traffic congestion and give people healthy and sustainable ways to enjoy our community.
To that end, we recently added another self-service bicycle rental station at our downtown Palm Avenue Garage. It’s just like the one we debuted recently at the City’s St. Armands Garage, offering about 10 bikes for hourly or daily rental via phone or
online
through local company I Bike Sarasota. The bikes can be returned to either location, which means residents and visitors have another option for getting to and from our barrier islands, via the recently completed southern portion of the Coon Key multi-use recreational trail.
We’re excited to monitor the progress of this pilot program and could consider adding additional rental stations elsewhere in the future. Please let us know what you think if you have an opportunity to try them out.
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Les Miserables
Feb. 26 - 28
Russian National Ballet: Cinderella
Tuesday, March 3
Celtic Woman
Wednesday, March 4
ABBA The Concert
Thursday, March 5
Georgia On My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles
Sunday, March 8
Josh Groban
Monday, March 9
The Color Purple
Tuesday, March 10
Paul Anka Sings Sinatra
Wednesday, March 11
An American in Paris
Monday, March 16
The Choir of Man
Tuesday, March 17
John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell
Wednesday, March 18
America
Thursday, March 19
Harry Connick Jr. - True Love: An Intimate Performance
Friday, March 20
Itzhak Perlman in Recital
Saturday, March 21
An Intimate Evening with David Foster: Hitman Tour Feat. Katherine McPhee
Sunday, March 22
Up, Up, and Away starring Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.
Tuesday, March 24
An Evening with Bruce Hornsby
Sunday, March 29
To purchase tickets over the phone call 941-953-3368 or stop by the Box Office at 777 N.Tamiami Trail.
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"Sarasota Scene"
Norm Schimmel
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