Ringling Trail wins statewide honor

As the first protected bicycle lane project in the Sarasota-Manatee region, Ringling Trail has been recognized by the American Public Works Association Florida Chapter as project of the year in the $2 million to $5 million category. 

The award was given during the AWPA’s annual conference in Jacksonville last week. Project team co-leaders Assistant City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein and Capital Projects Manager Camden Mills accepted the award on behalf of the city.

The Ringling Trail Complete Street project transformed a 1-mile stretch of Ringling Boulevard from a four-lane road into a complete street with a dedicated bicycle lane and expanded multimodal and connectivity opportunities between the Legacy Trail, downtown Sarasota and the bayfront. It opened in December 2022.

Ringling Trail runs between Lime and Pineapple avenues and features protected bike lanes, parallel parking spaces, elevated transit stops and other enhancements.

Criteria considered by the AWPA judges include community need, commitment to sustainability, accomplishments under adverse conditions, economic challenges and creative use of resources. Cost-saving and sustainability measures included conducting construction engineering and inspection services in-house and reallocating concrete parking wheel stops as bicycle lane dividers.

“More cyclists are traveling between the Legacy Trail and downtown core since the protected bike lanes were installed along the Ringling Trail, and that’s translating into economic growth,” said City Manager Marlon Brown in a news release. “To have public works professionals from around the state take note and declare it project of the year is icing on the cake.”

Ringling Boulevard between U.S. 41 and Lime Avenue was identified as a potential complete street in 2019 when the City Commission approved the Multi-Modal Connections Plan. The $2.7 million Ringling Trail complete street project was funded through the Sarasota County penny sales tax, economic development funds, multimodal impact fees and Federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

The APWA Florida Chapter membership includes professionals from the public and private sectors who specialize in engineering and technology, transportation, storm water management, right of way issues, fleet services, emergency management and more.