Will New Traffic Plan Solve This Season's Traffic Woes?

Looking south from the new Westin on US-41 and Gulfstream intersection

Dear Members:

Over the past number of months I have been meeting with other Barrier Island HOA Presidents and with concerned residents as to how to immediately improve traffic flow to and from the mainland, especially in peak season:

 1) without putting pedestrians at risk, 2) without creating a high speed highway/expressway between the city and the water front, 3) and at reasonable cost.

Roundabouts are scheduled to go in at Gulfstream and US-41 and Fruitville -/US-41 by 2020.  So we've have been searching for an interim solution, which if successful, may obviate the need for the roundabouts.  Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) seems convinced roundabouts are the long term solution to our traffic seasonal traffic woes.   I must admit I remain skeptical but then that is not my area of expertise.

The new traffic plan, approved last week by Sarasota City commissioners, will involve signage and lane markings allowing three left turn lanes from eastbound Gulfstream to northbound US-41.

Here's how it will work.  There will be three northbound lanes from Gulfstream to Fruitville and at Fruitville, a right turn only lane, with two lanes then northbound on US-41 north of Fruitville.  Plans are to have this near term fix completed by the end of the year, if not sooner.

Also included in the plan, at the insistence of FDOT, will be a signalized pedestrian crosswalk at First Avenue and Ritz Carlton Drive across US-41.  The speed limit will be reduced to 35-mph from the present 40-mph.  FDOT claims the pedestrian lights can be timed and set such that they coincide with the traffic lights north and south of the pedestrian walkway.  

The engineers seem confident that they can make it work.  FDOT says that the pedestrian crosswalk is vital to the whole issue, and they believe that a pedestrian can get across three lanes of traffic safely.  There will be a median (you might think of it as a refuge for pedestrians) and then you cross the second three lanes.  Could be a great Olympic trial for the 100-meter sprint.

The long discussed concept of a pedestrian overpass at Gulfstream and US-41 is still on hold, but that may be a project for future Presidents to tackle.

Special thanks to LSPOA member Andrew Vac who was a strong proponent of these changes and who represented the St. Armand’s Circle Business Association to the Sarasota City commissioners on August 21st.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and look forward to seeing you in the fall.

Bob Lifeso

LSPOA President