The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, will hold a public hearing about median and access management improvements to US 41 from Blackburn Point Road to McIntosh Road in Sarasota County, Florida. Financial Project ID: 433550-3-...

 

OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

QCAUSA

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One announces a hearing to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: Thursday, March 15, 2018, 5:00 p.m., open house; 6:00 p.m., formal public hearing

PLACE: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 241 Burney Road, Osprey, Florida, 34229

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, will hold a public hearing about median and access management improvements to US 41 from Blackburn Point Road to McIntosh Road in Sarasota County, Florida. Financial Project ID: 433550-3-52-01.

The public hearing will give interested parties the opportunity to view plans, display boards with design overlays, ask questions, and provide comments to FDOT representatives. The formal public hearing begins at 6:00 p.m. A hearing moderator will offer introductory remarks and a slide presentation will follow describing the project. During intermission, people can sign up to make oral comments. Those who do not wish to speak can submit written comments. A court reporter will be available to transcribe comments.

The primary purpose of this project is to create a complete street that serves all users: cars, trucks, transit, pedestrians and bicycles.

The proposed design includes reconstruction of paved shoulders from 4 feet to 7 feet to provide 7-foot-wide buffered bike lanes, and the widening of right turn lanes to accommodate the new bike lanes. The design also includes adding 5-foot-wide sidewalks to fill in gaps on either side of the highway to improve safety for multimodal transportation on this corridor. Modification of pedestrian sidewalk ramps will take place throughout the project to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, and driveways will be modified as needed to accommodate the new bike lanes and to bring them up to current design standards. FDOT will also construct bus shelter pads and widen some bus bays. Other proposed improvements include median and access improvements. This involves widening the medians and closing the median opening at Holland Street. Closing the median opening reduces the number of conflict points and improves driver predictability in the corridor. In addition, the proposed design will extend the southbound left turn lane at West Bay Street to allow for additional space for vehicles.

Construction of these improvements is estimated at $7.1 million and the FDOT anticipates construction to start in the spring of 2019.

This hearing offers people the opportunity to express their views about the median modifications and access management concerns.

FDOT representatives will be present to answer questions prior to and following the formal portion of the hearing. Interested parties may submit written comments at the hearing or at a later date to: Justin R. Reck, P.E., Project Manager, 801 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830, [e-mail], or call [phone] or toll-free at: 1(800)292-3368. All exhibits or statements postmarked on or before March 25, 2018 will become part of the public hearing record.

Draft design plans will be available for review at the public hearing, and will also be available from February 21, 2018 to March 26, 2018 at the Gulf Gate Public Library at 7112 Curtiss Avenue in Sarasota. Library hours are 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The library is closed on Sunday. Documents are also available at SWFLRoads.com.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Justin R. Reck, P.E., Project Manager, 801 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830, [e-mail], [phone] or toll-free: 1(800)292-3368.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 7 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Jamie Schley, District One Title VI Coordinator, at [e-mail] or calling [phone]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

For more information, you may contact: Public Involvement Consultant Maricelle Venegas at [e-mail] or call [phone].