Roundabout coming to busy Siesta Key intersection

Nearly three years after Sarasota County began the process of exploring the potential of a roundabout at the busy Siesta Key intersection of Midnight Pass and Beach roads, the project has been given the green light to proceed by the County Commission.

On March 21, commissioners unanimously approved two ordinances that pave the way for the $2.9 million project to begin in the second half of 2024. With a construction duration of seven months, the anticipated completion of the project is early 2025. The plan is to avoid construction during the heaviest traffic months.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Spencer Anderson, the county’s public works director, told commissioners the intersection will remain open throughout construction, although periodic lane closures may be necessary.

The intention is to create a better flowing intersection with enhanced safety features for bicycles and pedestrians. 

Although Midnight Pass, also known as State Highway 758, was taken over by the county in 2019, the project is state funded. In two separate motions, the commission authorized execution of the agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for construction services and amended the fiscal year 2023 budget to appropriate the state funding for the project.

“Roundabouts are polarizing,” Anderson told commissioners. “There are various points of view on them. The (metropolitan planning organization) did a recent study on some findings based on several roundabouts within the Manatee-Sarasota County area and found that they are proven safety countermeasures for situations similar to the intersection of Beach Road and Midnight Pass. They reduce crashes, and more specifically, they reduce crashes that result in fatalities or significant injury.”

A frequently used counter argument is that roundabouts can also be confusing for some drivers, but overall, traffic planners across the country are embracing roundabouts as a solution to busy and dangerous intersections, Anderson said.

Highway 758 is one of two primary roads connecting Siesta Key to the mainland, crossing the north bridge before turning south as Higel Avenue then forking left as Midnight Pass Road and continuing less than 2 miles to Beach Road. It then continues south to the second connecting road to the mainland at State Road 72.

Beach Road, meanwhile, runs along the coast, serving many of the Siesta Key public beach areas. All that makes the intersection the pivot point for much of the key’s traffic.

Residents and commissioners alike have raised concerns about disruptions during construction and about accidents in the circle afterward.

“My understanding from previous presentations is that the intersection was going to be impassible for a period of time,” said Commissioner Mark Smith. “My memory is that it was a month that there would be no traffic going through that intersection. Am I accurate?”

Anderson assured him he was not.

“I don't think it would be a wise idea to direct traffic through the neighborhood,” Anderson said. “We have no intentions of closing the intersection. Potentially unintended situations may require situational closures, however the charge for the contractor will be to maintain two-way traffic through the duration.”

Commissioner Joe Neunder asked Anderson what happens in the case of a crash that shuts down the roundabout.

“The center apron is actually mountable, so you have a significant width around the outside of the center of the roundabout that you can actually drive on,” Anderson said. “It's designed to be driven on for larger trucks that have a wheelbase that doesn't quite make the radius of the roundabout, so that does provide somewhat of an alternate route if we needed to navigate traffic around it. At other times, the police on scene will have to make decisions on how to best manage traffic, and if the intersection is shut down, they’ll have to divert traffic.”

Before the votes, Commissioner Nancy Detert recommended staff facilitate additional public engagement as the design process of the roundabout moves forward. She cited the roundabout at Jacaranda Boulevard at Venice Avenue in Venice as having more accidents after it was converted from an intersection than before. It then had to be redesigned.

“I hope you are going to meet with the public as soon as possible,” Detert said. “I think the board would feel better if you got some community involvement and maybe the community needs to understand the choices better. It might even get them on your side with a fuller explanation because people talk and they don’t always give accurate information to each other. ... Let's hear from the public and see if they have some good suggestions.”