City to share Payne Park-Legacy Trail connector details

The city of Sarasota will host an informational meeting about the Legacy Trail-Payne Park improvement project to connect bicyclists, walkers and others from The Legacy Trail to downtown Thursday, Oct. 26, at the SRQ Media Studio at City Hall. The meeting will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The project is designed to increase connectivity and safety for users traveling between Legacy Trail, downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Key. A 14-foot-wide Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) will connect Payne Park to The Legacy Trail/School Avenue intersection. The trail will tie into protected bike lanes on Ringling Boulevard and offer shorter travel distances for those bicycling, walking or using mobility assistance devices.

The project will also connect users to neighborhoods where bicycle lanes and multi-use paths exist. 

The project will include amenities such as a shade shelter, drinking fountain, benches, tables, bike rack, lighting, landscaping and signage.

The meeting will be an open house format with a looping video presentation played at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to review diagrams and talk with the project team.

Meeting materials will be posted by Monday, Oct. 23 on the project website at SarasotaFL.gov/LegacyTrailPaynePark.

Comments about the project may be submitted in-person during the Oct. 26 meeting, by email to Project Manager Corinne Arriaga at [email protected] or by calling 941-263-6362. Comments must be submitted by Nov. 6 to be included in the public record.

The city was awarded a $400,000 federal grant with a $375,000 local match to build the Legacy Trail-Payne Park connector. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2024.