Legacy Trail: Progress made on overpasses; City plans Bobby Jones connector meeting

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·3 min read
The Legacy Trail crossing at South Beneva Road in Sarasota County officially in March 2022. Sarasota county commissioners will vote Tuesday to add an overpass at that location and at Bahia Vista Street into the 2024-28 Capital Improvement Program.
The Legacy Trail crossing at South Beneva Road in Sarasota County officially in March 2022. Sarasota county commissioners will vote Tuesday to add an overpass at that location and at Bahia Vista Street into the 2024-28 Capital Improvement Program.

Sarasota County commissioners will be asked Tuesday to approve budget changes so Legacy Trail overpasses can be built over Bahia Vista Street and Beneva Road.

There are five separate votes but only one public hearing – to appropriate $221,688 in project management funding from park impact fees for each of the two overpasses. Florida Department of Transportation grant funds will cover the estimated $2 million construction cost of each overpass.

The commission meets at 9 a.m. at the Robert L Anderson Administration Center, 3000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.

That overpass vote is one of several developments affecting the popular recreational trail, including the state Department of Transportation starting construction on overpasses for Bee Ridge and Clark roads, and the city of Sarasota hosted in-person stakeholder community meetings Dec. 12-14  about the Legacy Trail extension to Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park.

Cyclist safety improvements in Pinecraft

Almost 650,00 people use walkers, runners and cyclists use the Legacy Trail.

It crosses Bahia Vista Street just east of Millie’s Dutch Haus Furniture and the Carlisle Inn Conference Center and Hotel; and Beneva Road north of Your Farm & Garden garden center, with pedestrians and cyclists urged to stop and push a button for a safe, signal-controlled crossing.

Ramps will be constructed at each location, so trail users can continue uninterrupted, though an at-grade crossing will be maintained as well.

Overpasses at Bee Ridge and Clark roads

The Florida Department of Transportation started construction last month on Legacy Trail overpasses of Bee Ridge Road, shown here, and Clark Road. The two projects are expected to be complete in the winter of 2024-25.
The Florida Department of Transportation started construction last month on Legacy Trail overpasses of Bee Ridge Road, shown here, and Clark Road. The two projects are expected to be complete in the winter of 2024-25.

FDOT started construction of overpasses of those to major east-west thoroughfares in late November.

The $13.2 million project is anticipated to be completed in the winter of 2024-25.

Shoulder or lane closures have been scheduled to occur overnight, to minimize traffic impact.

The Legacy Trail crosses Bee Ridge Road east of Sawyer Road; while it crosses Clark Road in the vicinity of McIntosh Road. North of Clark Road, McIntosh Road was built east of the former railroad right of way while south of Clark road, McIntosh Road west built west of the right of way.

The Florida Department of Transportation started construction last month on Legacy Trail overpasses of Clark Road, shown here, and Bee Ridge Road. The two projects are expected to be complete in the winter of 2024-25.
The Florida Department of Transportation started construction last month on Legacy Trail overpasses of Clark Road, shown here, and Bee Ridge Road. The two projects are expected to be complete in the winter of 2024-25.

Bobby Jones stakeholder meetings

The Dec, 12-14 city of Sarasota stakeholder community meetings on the Bobby Jones trail extension all start at 5:30 p.m. and will be hosted at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Sunshine Post 3233, 124 S Tuttle Ave., Sarasota.

The purpose of the meetings is to discuss two alternatives for connecting The Legacy Trail to Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park.

Both will be evaluated by a preliminary project development and environment study.

The city of Sarasota is hosting stakeholder community meetings, 5:30 p.m., Dec, 12-14 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Sunshine Post 3233, 124 S Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, to discuss alternatives to connect the Legacy Trail to Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park.
The city of Sarasota is hosting stakeholder community meetings, 5:30 p.m., Dec, 12-14 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Sunshine Post 3233, 124 S Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, to discuss alternatives to connect the Legacy Trail to Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park.

The first alignment would expand the sidewalk on the east side of Beneva Road from the existing Legacy Trail north to the Beneva Road/Fruitville Road intersection.

The second alignment would link the trail via existing City-owned right-of-way through the Eastwood Neighborhood east of Beneva Road.

A no-build alternative without a trail connection between the Legacy Trail to Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park will also be evaluated.

A link to the relevant material for the meeting can be found at  www.SarasotaFL.gov/LegacyTrailBobbyJones.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Progress on Legacy Trail overpasses; weigh in on Bobby Jones connector