Proposal designed to provide safer route parallel to U.S. 41 for pedestrians and cyclists
On Thursday, March 13, city of Sarasota residents are invited to attend a public meeting regarding a proposal to extend the School Avenue Greenway, city staff has announced.
The session will be held at 5:30 p.m. within the SRQ Media Studio in the City Hall Annex, which stands at 1565 First St. in downtown Sarasota, a news release notes.
Extending the School Avenue Greenway would give “pedestrians and cyclists an alternative, safer route parallel to U.S. 41 and allow easier access to Arlington Park, Sarasota High School, and other local destinations,” the release says. The School Avenue Greenway Extension project is identified in both the city’s Capital Improvement Plan and Sarasota in Motion, which is the city’s Transportation Master Plan, the release adds.
A fact sheet about the proposal explains, “A greenway is a path for people on foot or bike to use for transportation or recreation. A greenway’s design is flexible. Typically, greenways are separated from roads, they can be paved or unpaved, and there is often an emphasis on vegetation and greenery.”
The fact sheet points out that 85 crashes involving people on foot or on bicycles that occurred from 2018 through 2023 in a half-mile radius of the School Avenue Greenway and the area of the proposed extension.
That fact sheet also notes that the city already has 7 miles of multi-use paths/greenways, with another 14 planned.
During the public meeting, city Transportation Planning staff will make a presentation, showing attendees concepts of the project that have been developed based on community comments, including remarks received via an online survey and those offered by the public during a meeting held in November 2024, the release notes. Following this presentation, “attendees will have the opportunity to view project boards with additional details on each of the three concepts, including a ‘do nothing’ option,” the release points out.
While viewing the project boards, the release continues, participants will have the opportunity to discuss each concept and ask questions of city staff, as well as provide comments and concerns.
For more information visit Sarasotafl.gov/School-Ave-Greenway or contact Project Manager Corinne Arriaga at 941-263-6362.