Town updates transportation wish list

At the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Dec. 2 meeting, commissioners voted to approve a priority list of projects for the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization's long-range plan. 

The priority list includes four projects that were also a part of the town’s priority list last year. Every year, town commissioners reassess the list to try to leverage funding from the regional organization. 

“Every year, the MPO requires its member jurisdictions to select a group of projects to be their priority projects to be represented in future funding or future scenarios with the MPO,” Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman said. “The town has been holding a similar set of projects, some near term, some longer term, to at least hold our place in line with the MPO.”

According to its website, the MPO develops “plans, policies, and priorities that guide regional decision-making on transportation issues.” 

This year, the town's priority projects remained the same as last year, but Brownman presented some updates for the projects. 

One of the priority projects for the town is the Country Club Shores turn lane project on Gulf of Mexico Drive. 

This project was already fully funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), but Brownman said it was good practice to continue listing it as a priority. Construction for this project is expected to start in February 2025. 

Three other projects the town listed are also listed in the MPO’s long-range plan called “Transform 2045.” These include the Broadway Roundabout, Complete Streets project and Longboat Club Road Roundabout. 

The Broadway Roundabout has been an ongoing project for the town that was delayed due to design issues brought up by the FDOT. Since those issues were corrected — at a higher price — the MPO said it would be able to fund the project, which is now expected to cost around $6 million. 

About $4.8 million was also included in the MPO’s long-range plan for the Broadway Roundabout project in 2030, but the MPO recently told the town it would have money available sooner due to other projects falling through.

Brownman also said the FDOT expressed interest in taking over the responsibility for this project, eliminating the burden of permitting and pre-construction for the town. 

The Complete Street Corridor Improvements project has long been a vision for the town, and the MPO identified $18.4 million for the project between 2026 and 2030. 

The next steps for this project include a Project Development & Environment study for the 10 miles of GMD, which could begin in 2026. 

Lastly, the Longboat Club Road Roundabout is a project that has yet not reached the first phase of project development. 

This roundabout was identified in the Barrier Island Traffic Study and the GMD Complete Street Corridor Improvement project. About $4.8 million was set aside in the MPO’s long-range plan for this project from 2026-2030. 

Brownman said the MPO is in the process of completing a new long-range plan to look forward to 2050. 

“They did warn the member jurisdictions that money is going to be tight and they're going to be looking for opportunities to cut things,” Brownman said about the new 2050 plan. “So that's why we want to keep our place in mind in all these projects and programs.”

Commissioners unanimously approved the four priorities as the town’s upcoming projects.