The construction order of the Legacy Trail extension is as follows:
- Segment 1 will extend from Proctor Road to Bahia Vista Street with a trailhead at Webber Street.
- Segment 2 will extend from the current northern terminus of the trail at Culverhouse Nature Park to Proctor Road with a trailhead at Ashton Road.
- Segment 3 will go from Bahia Vista Street to Ringling Boulevard with a trailhead at Pompano Avenue.
It is anticipated that all segments may be under construction concurrently.
The surface level trail will be financed and built by the county and the overpasses over Clark and Bee Ridge Roads will be financed, designed, and built by FDOT (more info …).
Timeline for The Legacy Trail Extension and the North Port Connector:
Updated 2/11/21
June 4, 2019 – Sarasota County sold a portion of the bonds to pay for the railroad land and initial design costs via a competitive process to the financial institutions that provided the county the lowest true interest cost. The financial institutions and brokers involved in the sale include Raymond James, Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Ziegler, Advisors Asset Management and Ramirez.
June 5, 2019 – The Sarasota County Commission authorized the county administrator to execute a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates for the design and engineering of the Legacy Trail Extension Project after bond signing.
June 28, 2019
- Sarasota County bond signing was completed,
- County completed closing on acquisition of the Phase 2 rail corridor,
- Design contract was signed with Kimley-Horn and Associates, with 30 percent of the first segment design plans to be completed by Sept. 12 and 100 percent completed by March 5, 2020
- Initial design meeting between county and Kimley-Horn,
- BIG DAY!!
July 2019
- The county has selected Jon F. Swift, Inc. as the project’s construction manager and will begin negotiations. The contract is planned to go before the county commission later this summer.
- In July, FDOT made the official change to the work program to construct overpasses at Clark and Bee Ridge Roads and a construction schedule should become available soon.
January 2020
Seminole Gulf Railway has removed the tracks and signals from the railroad corridor.
County staff, the design consultant and the construction manager had the project’s first signalization workshop to discuss signal options to safely get future trail users across the roadways.
Kimley-Horn and Associates, the design consultant, has completed a typical sections analysis to better determine what the physical trail will look like.
May 2020
Work is continuing on the trail design and on obtaining the required permits. It is anticipated that construction will start in late summer. The date is still pending issuance of the various permits required for the project.
July 2020 – Construction bids for Segment 1 are in. County Commissioners approved contracts on July 7. Groundbreaking ceremony was held July 9. Additional bonds are issued to pay for construction. Construction documents for Segments 2 and 3, and the Ashton Road and Webber Street trailheads are out for bid. A second bond draw closed July 2.
Plans for North Port Connector at 60%. Design firm is working on cost estimates.
Late July 2020 – Work has started on Segment 1 — mowing and limited clearing. Construction bidding on Segments 3. Bids received for construction of Segment 2 and are under negotiation.
60% design plans for North Port Connector have been reviewed by county.
August 2020 – Construction has started on Segment 1. Mowing and clearing are ongoing in Segments 2 and 3.
September 9, 2020 – County commission approved the construction contracts for Segments 2 and 3, and the Webber Street and Ashton Road trailheads.
October 2020 – Construction work is expected to start this month on segments 2 & 3. Sarasota County has received 90 percent design plans for the Webber Street and Ashton Road trailheads.
December 2020 – Ashton and Weber trailhead designs at 90%. Pompano trailhead design at 60%. Overpasses over Clark and Bee Ridge roads are currently being designed by FDOT. North Port Connector plans are at 90%.
January 2021 – County will solicit bids for the North Port Connector (Schewe Ranch route).
March 2021 – Paving begins on Segment 1 of The Legacy Trail north extension!
County staff will receive bids for the North Port Connector (currently estimated at $5M). Staff will request authorization from county commissioners to proceed with funding and construction of the North Port connector and Pompano Avenue trailhead.
Mid 2021 – Completion of Segment 1
January 2022 – For Segments 2 & 3, and the trailheads at Ashton and Weber roads, the contract specifies a “Final” completion date of 462 days after work begins. This means that work could be completed on these phases of the project by the end of 2021!.
Mid 2022 – Estimated completion of the North Port Connector.
2023 – 2024 – Work begins on the Clark Road and Bee Ridge Road overpasses. FDOT will be responsible for building the overpasses. They are now engaged in preliminary budgeting and design work and there is no estimate for a completion date at this time. The overpass at Clark and McIntosh roads will be particularly complex because the overpass will now be part of the project to straighten McIntosh Road at this intersection.
In 2024 – Completion of overpasses over Clark and Bee Ridge roads.
Connector to North Port
Selected North Port Connector Route
For more information, visit the North Port Connector page here.