The ribbon cutting ceremony was held Tuesday, March 28 at the Deer Prairie Creek south parking area. The new facility provides a southern access point to Deer Prairie Creek Preserve that is easily reached from Tamiami Trail. In addition to the new bridge, the site includes improved parking, a new kayak launch, a new fishing/observation pier, and a new picnic shelter. The bridge provides access to the natural-surface Alphabet Trail, which connects to the paved Legacy Trail North Port Connector, as shown in the map below. Click here for more information, pictures and a drone video of the bridge placement.
The steel truss bridge span over Deer Prairie Creek was installed on 11/3/22. Thanks to Brett Koppes for lthe amazing drone video of the installation. See map above for the location of the bridge. The new bridge allows access to the North Port Legacy Trail connector via the natural surface trail, now designated the Alphabet Trail (Sure beats walking over the weir!). Parking is available at the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve South Parking Area, which can be accessed from Tamiami Trail.
Thanks, and congratulations, to the City of Sarasota for successfully obtaining a Recreational Trails Program grant to build an extension of The Legacy Trail along the southern border of Payne Park, and along the northern side of Alderman Street. The grant is still subject to some environmental approvals, but these are not expected to be an issue.
This new trail segment will be 1,170 feet long and 14 feet wide. In addition to the trail, the project will include a shade shelter, benches, tables, bike rack, drinking fountain, lighting, informational signage, and landscaping. The total cost of the project is $897,000, of which $400,000 is the state grant award and $497,000 is the matching fund contributed by the city.
This extension, combined with the existing Brother Greenway Trail, is getting us closer to having a safe multiuse recreational trail connection from The Legacy Trail to Bayfront Park.
Joe and Terry and their two boys were recently spotted taking a break at the Ashton Trailhead while enjoying a warm, sunny February day along the Legacy Trail. “We’re snowbirds from Michigan and have been coming here for many years. We love it here in the winter – the sun, the many attractions, including the longer Legacy Trail. Tucker and Cody, get so excited when we pull out the bikes and put on their goggles.” Yeah, about the goggles? “We want to protect their eyes from the sun, pollen or other air borne debris.”
And then they were off down the trail, leading the way with paws up on the front edge of the basket, all dog smiles at the adventures that lie ahead.
Join other local bicycle/ trike riders with or without e-assist for a casual fun moonlight ride! This is an easy 8 mile ride Bay Street to Laurel and back, no cross streets. This is not a sponsored ride and your safety is your responsibility. After the 8 miles, you will have the option to extend the ride from Bay Street to Central Sarasota and back. The ride will be led by an experienced leader from Real Bikes. To join, riders must have a helmet, front and rear bike lights. Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult rider. Meet at the Osprey Junction Trailhead parking lot, 939 E. Bay St., Osprey RSVP at moonlightridelegacy@gmail.com please include Your Name, # of riders and contact phone #
FDOT and Sarasota County are currently developing designs for an overpass over I-75 connecting Lakewood Ranch with Cattleman Road near Nathan Benderson Park. The project, named the North Sarasota Multimodal Connector (NSMC), is progressing past the 60% phase toward 90% plans. The renderings above show the current design concept. The overpass will include multi-modal paths for cyclists and pedestrians. No start or completion date is currently scheduled.
Check out this beautiful new video about the current state of the trail and its value to the community. Many thanks to Rich Tyson of the Sarasota Bradenton RE Group for producing the video, and also thanks to Louis Kosiba, FLT President, for his presentation on the video!
Bee Ridge Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Bee Ridge Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Bee Ridge Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Clark Rd. Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Clark Rd. Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Clark Rd. Overpass, Image Courtesy of FDOT / Sarasota County
Conceptual McIntosh Crossing Route and Underpass, Image Courtesy of Sarasota County
Conceptual McIntosh Crossing Route and Underpass, Image Courtesy of Sarasota County
FDOT presented their current concept for the design of these overpasses to county commissioners at their December 13 meeting. The plans are expected to be complete by the end of 2022, with construction to begin in the Fall of 2023. Both overpass projects are expected to be completed by November 2024.
Some noteworthy information from the meeting:
The overpasses will be 12 feet wide and use the same construction method as used for the Laurel Rd. overpass. This type of construction uses reinforced earth on the approaches to the mid-span. Click here for details of this method.
The design of the Clark Rd. overpass is influenced by the need for compatibility with a future project to straighten the McIntosh Road intersection at Clark Road. There is currently no funding for straightening the McIntosh intersection, so it is unlikely this project will start any time soon.
When the McIntosh Road intersection is straightened, it will be necessary for trail users to cross McIntosh immediately after (or before) crossing the overpass. One conceptual plan suggested by Spencer Anderson, Sarasota County Public Works Director, would be to slightly raise McIntosh Road and have the trail go under it (see conceptual images in gallery above).
Thanks to The Amazing Parks Staff for working hard to get the trail back into shape!
Sarasota County Parks has indicated that The Legacy Trail and the eastern (mainland) section of the Venetian Waterway Park are now open. Note that there is still work being done at the intersections, as some of them are not fully functioning.
The North Port Connector is now open!
The Venetian Waterway Park West (island side) had a large washout of a section of the trail near the airport (See below). The segment of this trail south of the Circus Bridge is now closed. The Army Corps of Engineers is set to begin reconstruction of the bank later this month. but this section will probably not open until the new year.
Washout on VWP-West south of Circus Bridge. Photo by Mike Soltis
UPDATE:
Thanks to Eugene Somogyi for this photo update! According to Megan from Sarasota County “The Army Corp of Engineers is nearly done with the washout repair work on the west side of the Venetian Waterway Park. Sod will soon be installed to stabilize the bank, and then work will continue to restore the concrete trail. The date for completion of this project is still to be determined.”
