Installation of medians the primary facet of project tentatively planned for 2018-19 fiscal year
Editor’s note: This article was updated on Nov. 27 with a lower estimated project cost provided by FDOT.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host an open house on Thursday, Dec. 7, concerning plans for safety improvements along U.S. 301 (Washington Boulevard) from Fruitville Road to 10th Street, the City of Sarasota has announced.
The open house will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 in the City Hall Annex, followed by a presentation at 6 p.m., City Manager Tom Barwin wrote in his Nov. 17 newsletter.
The primary facet of the FDOT proposal involves “the installation of medians along that entire stretch,” Barwin reported. FDOT also plans to address drainage issues between Ringling Boulevard and Main Street, which have been a concern for the city, he added.
Curb ramps at the intersection of Ringling and Main also will be upgraded as part of the proposed project, he noted.
FDOT’s draft Tentative Work Program for July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023 says the length of the project area is 1.113 miles. The estimated cost in that document is $684,483; however, a Nov. 27 FDOT news release puts the amount at $582,000. The schedule calls for the work to be undertaken in the winter of the 2018-19 fiscal year.
Draft documents are available for review at the Fruitville Library, located at 100 Coburn Road.
City Hall is located at 1565 First St. in downtown Sarasota.