Affected section of street lies between U.S. 41 and School Avenue
Members of the public are being invited to participate in an online survey whose results will be used to help guide improvements to Main Street in downtown Sarasota, City of Sarasota staff has announced.
The survey provides respondents the ability to offer their thoughts on parking, driving, walkability and the overall aesthetics of the area, the city’s Feb. 16 newsletter noted.
The Main Street Complete Streets project is in the early planning phase, as city staff “looks to create a safer, visually pleasing, and more connected Main Street between U.S. 41 and School Avenue,” the newsletter said.
The online survey was launched on Feb. 16 and will remain available through Friday, April 12 on the project webpage.
“The planning phase to redesign Main Street started when the project was identified as the eighth priority in Sarasota’s Transportation Master Plan, Sarasota in Motion, in 2019,” the newsletter explained.
The related page on the city’s website points out, “From farmers markets to art festivals to nights on the town, Main Street truly is the heart of our community here in sunny Sarasota. As the plans for the Main Street Redesign enter the visioning stage, we want to hear from you! Whether you’re a full-time resident, a summer guest, or a weekend visitor, we want to know how you envision the future of Main Street.”
The webpage adds that the transformation of Main Street will result from an evaluation of all aspects of the right of way, “including but not limited to travel lanes, on-street parking, sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping.”
The timeline calls for a draft report to be completed this spring after the survey, stakeholder outreach, and a workshop and open house have been conducted, the webpage says. The draft visioning report then will be presented to the City Commission before the final report is prepared.
For more information contact the project manager, Alvimarie Corales, chief transportation planner, at Alvimarie.Corales@SarasotaFL.gov.