Complete streets projects await federal grant approval

Drawing such a crowd that the formal presentation on May 23 had to be repeated, the city of Sarasota’s transportation planning staff laid out concepts and plans now at the 60% design stage for complete street projects on 10th Street and Boulevard of the Arts. 

As one standing-room-only group heard from Senior Transportation Planner Corinne Arriaga, waiting in the wings was a second equally sized crowd, shuffling between display boards and speaking with staff in the anteroom of the SRQ Media Studio at City Hall.

“The origins of this project came from Sarasota In Motion, the first ever citywide transportation master plan,” Arriaga said. “It prioritizes transportation decisions to provide safe and diverse choices, and it acts as a guideline for transportation investments. Tenth Street and Boulevard the Arts were both in the top 10 priorities.”

Ranked second was 10th Street and Boulevard of the Arts No. 10, but because both projects are in the Rosemary District and in close proximity, both were advanced together as a single project that, in an effort to minimize construction fatigue, will be divided into four phases.

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Arriaga’s presentation highlighted contrasts between the 30% conceptual design and the more refined 60% stage, but she emphasized that certain elements such as landscaping and artistic shade structures where trees cannot be planted are for illustrative purposes only.

The dual-street project will cover 0.4 mile of 10th Street between U.S. 41 and Orange Avenue, Boulevard of the Arts 0.7 mile from the bayfront to Orange Avenue. 

There is a planned roundabout at 10th Street and Orange Avenue. Because of a lack of right of way at Boulevard of the Arts and U.S. 41, though, the staff-preferred option of a roundabout is not feasible. That will be built as a raised intersection to slow speeds and provide higher visibility of pedestrians.

None of it happens until funding is secured, Arriaga said. The city has applied for a $12 million federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant, which requires a $3 million local match. That decision should come this summer, and the city is seeking other funding sources as well.

Other available monies would address environmental and sustainability elements of the project. For 10th Street, staff is seeking funding for water and sewer treatment, rain gardens to purify stormwater runoff and the roundabout at Orange Avenue.

“We know roundabouts, especially in hurricanes, are really helpful for evacuation because if the signals go out, it becomes a mess,” Arriaga said. “With a roundabout you don't have to worry about that. It functions, it's efficient and it's smooth in times of storms.”

For Boulevard of the Arts, alternate funding sources are sought for landscaping and the stormwater treatments, rain gardens, the raised intersection at U.S. 41, undergrounding of utilities and adding a reclaimed water line for landscaping irrigation.

Once funding is secured, the projects can advance to the design-build stage.

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For 10th Street the project includes:

• 11-foot travel lanes
• 12-foot planted median from Central Avenue to Lemon Avenue, then varying between 9.75 feet and 14.75 feet to Orange Avenue based on width availability.
• 8-foot sidewalks. 
• 7-foot planting strip areas that would act as bioswales for stormwater treatment or possible rain gardens. 
• 5-foot bike lane.
• 3-foot bike lane buffer.

Boulevard of the Arts will remain largely untouched between U.S. 41 and the bayfront, but plans are for 11-foot travel lanes with a 10-foot median, 10-foot sidewalks and eight feet of landscaping. 

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Between U.S. 41 and Orange Avenue plans include:

• 12-foot travel lanes with “sharrows” to indicate both vehicle and bicycle use.
• No median.
• 11-foot sidewalks.
• 6-foot planting areas.
• Parallel parking where possible.

The complete street plans are based in part on community input, according to Arriaga.

“In 2022 we had a community survey where we had over 1,000 people respond and tell us what they wanted to see. Additionally, we had two open houses two years ago today and had over 85 people attend,” she said. “What we heard was people wanted to see more landscaping and green space. They wanted a balance to support local businesses as well as economic development and traffic flow. They felt it was a formal gateway to The Bay Park and that they wanted protected bicycle lanes and pedestrian-focused lighting.”

There is still time for residents to have their say about the projects. Comments to be entered into the record will be accepted through June 3 by emailing [email protected].