Town, FDOT plan public meeting for Broadway Roundabout

The town of Longboat Key and the Florida Department of Transportation will hold a public forum on May 1 for residents to learn about and discuss the upcoming Broadway Roundabout project 

According to a release from the town, the meeting will be “open-house style” and held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 in the town commission chambers at Longboat Key Town Hall (501 Bay Isles Road). 

“This project marks the first step in implementing the town’s complete streets vision — aimed at improving safety, mobility options and roadway aesthetics while preserving traffic flow and enhancing the town’s distinctive character,” the town’s release states. 

At the forum, members of the project team from the town and FDOT can answer residents’ questions about the project, timeline and next steps. 

The Broadway Roundabout is intended to enhance pedestrian safety, create a new multi-use trail on the east side and 7-foot buffered bicycle lanes. These features are a part of the town’s “complete streets vision,” and the roundabout will be a first look into that long-term vision. 

The roundabout’s design experienced delays in 2023 when the FDOT said it would not sign off on designs that were near 90% completion. The department claimed the roadway’s current slope would not be acceptable for the roundabout design. 

That led the town and project staff back to the drawing board for a redesign that evens the existing roadway banking and, thus, requires additional work like landscaping and drainage improvements. 

While the FDOT and the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization found advanced funding for fiscal year 2026 to get the project off the ground, the FDOT said the town would be responsible for some costs required before construction. 

Town staff recently told commissioners that, while the FDOT is assuming a larger financial and construction responsibility, preliminary construction costs to the town could be around $1.7 million. Those costs include utility adjustments, landscaping and aesthetic appeal.