Public-private partnership improves traffic flow in Lakewood Ranch

When Bob Halbach, Manatee County’s Public Works project manager, looked at the intersection of State Road 70 and Lorraine Road in the past, he knew future development would force improvements.

Thanks to a public-private partnership, Manatee County will begin those improvements early in 2020.

Construction is scheduled to begin by February to add more lanes for traffic coming into the intersection on Lorraine Road and to build better access roads to the Lorraine Corners Plaza (home to Nancy’s Bar-B-Q), to the future Oasis apartments, to a future veterinary clinic and to the future Publix.

“It will keep traffic moving,” Halbach said of the new design.

The project cost is $2.66 million, excluding the price to purchase additional land needed for the project. Publix will pay $475,000 in cash and another $659,000 through impact fee credits. The remaining $1.53 million will be reimbursed to Publix by Manatee County.

Publix will oversee the design and construction of the entire project, which is expected to start in January or February 2020.

Manatee County commissioners approved related agreements with other impacted property owners in September. The project is receiving $580,000 worth of right-of-way land. Contributing landowners include Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Publix Supermarkets and Picerne Development.

“We’ve been working on this for over a year to do a public-private partnership,” said Sia Mollanazar, the deputy director of the Manatee County Public Works Engineering Services.

Mollanazar said if and when Lorraine Road is widened to four lanes north of S.R. 70 to State Road 64, no changes will be needed at the Lorraine Road/S.R. 70 intersection.

Mollanazar said the opportunity for the improvement arose because several development applications were proceeding at the same time. The county and property owners could work together to improve traffic in the projects, as well as at the existing Lorraine Corners plaza.

Mollanazar said the design better prepares the intersection for improvements to S.R. 70, which the Florida Department of Transportation is planning to widen from Lorraine Road east to County Road 675. The first portion of the project, from Lorraine Road to east of Post/Greenbrook boulevards, is under design and scheduled for construction in fiscal year 2023.

When Bob Halbach, Manatee County's Public Works project manager, looked at the intersection of State Road 70 and Lorraine Road in the past, he knew future development would force improvements.

Thanks to a public-private partnership, Manatee County will begin those improvements early in 2020.

Construction is scheduled to begin by February to add more lanes for traffic coming into the intersection on Lorraine Road and to build better access roads to the Lorraine Corners Plaza (home to Nancy's Bar-B-Q), to the future Oasis apartments, to a future veterinary clinic and to the future Publix.

“It will keep traffic moving,” Halbach said of the new design. 

The project cost is $2.66 million, excluding the price to purchase additional land needed for the project. Publix will pay $475,000 in cash and another $659,000 through impact fee credits. The remaining $1.526 million will be reimbursed to Publix by Manatee County.

Publix will oversee the design and construction of the entire project, which is expected to start in January or February of 2020.

Manatee County commissioners approved related agreements with other impacted property owners in September. The project is receiving $580,000 worth of right-of-way land. Contributing landowners include Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Publix Supermarkets and Picerne Development.

“We’ve been working on this for over a year to do a public-private partnership,” said Sia Mollanazar, the deputy director of the Manatee County Public Works Engineering Services. 

Mollanazar said if and when Lorraine Road is widened to four lanes north of State Road 70 to State Road 64, no changes will be needed at the Lorraine Road-State Road 70 intersection. 

Mollanazar said the opportunity for the improvement arose because several development applications were proceeding at the same time. The county and property owners could work together to improve traffic flow in and out of the projects, as well as at the existing Lorraine Corners plaza. 

Mollanazar said the design better prepares the intersection for improvements to State Road 70, which the Florida Department of Transportation is planning to widen from Lorraine Road east to County Road 675. The first portion of the project, from Lorraine Road to east of Post/Greenbrook boulevards, is under design and scheduled for construction in fiscal year 2023.