2035 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FINAL REPORT

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Prepared for:

Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan

Planning Organization

Prepared by:

RENAISSANCE PLANNING GROUP

FINAL REPORT

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List of Maps

Map 1: Projected Volumes on Committed Roadway Network ...7

Map 2: 2035 Needs Plan ...9

Map 3: 2035 Financially Feasible Plan Projects ...21

Map 4: Committed Projects through Year 2014 ...36

Map 5: Projected Volumes on E+C Roadway Network (2035) ...39

Map 6: Strategic Intermodal System Facilities in Sarasota and Manatee Counties ...42

Map 7: Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic, 2008 ...44

Map 8: Truck Traffic as Percent of Total Traffic, 2008 ...45

Map 9: Regional LRTP 2035 Cost Affordable Plan Highway Improvements ...60

Map 10: Regional LRTP 2035 Cost Affordable Plan Transit Improvements ...61

Map 11: 2009 Regional Multi-Use Trails Map...62

Map 12: Vision Map ...67

Map 13: 2035 Needs Plan ...72

Map 14: 2035 Roadway Needs Plan ...73

Map 15: 2035 Transit Needs Plan ...74

Map 16: 2035 Bicycle/Pedestrian/Trails Needs Plan ...75

Map 17: US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor ...90

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Planning Factors ...3

Figure 2: Mobility Corridors ...10

Figure 3: Cost Estimation Inflation Factors ...12

Figure 4: Projected State/Federal and Local Funding Sources Available for the 2035 LRTP ...14

Figure 5: Interim Year Population Projections ...24

Figure 6: Interim Year Employment Projections ...24

Figure 7: Population Increase Per Acre 2007 – 2035 ...27

Figure 8: Employment Increase Per Acre 2007 – 2035 ...27

Figure 9: Land Use Mix ...56

Figure 10: Density/Intensity ...56

Figure 11: Pedestrian Environment ...57

Figure 12: Student/Senior Population ...57

Figure 13: Low Income Population ...58

Figure 14: Core Transit Areas...58

Figure 15: Cost Estimation Inflation Factors ...118

Figure 16: Manatee County Plan Summary ...193

Figure 17: Sarasota County Plan Summary ...193

Figure 18: Florida’s Traffic Safety Target Areas ...197

Figure 19: Five Highest Crash Locations – Manatee County (2007) ...199

Figure 20: Five Highest Crash Locations – Sarasota County (2006) ...199

List of Tables

Table 1: Revenue Available for New Capital Projects (in millions, YOE) ...14

Table 2: Recommended Financially Feasible Plan Projects ...17

Table 3: Population Projections ...25

Table 4: Employment Projections ...26

Table 5: E+C Performance Measures (2007) ...29

Table 6: Committed Projects through Year 2014 ...30

Table 7: Changes between 2007 and 2035 Performance Indicators ...38

Table 8: Freight Mobility Improvements Needs ...52

Table 9: Objectives, Performance Measures, and Data Needs for Evaluating Freight Mobility Needs ...53

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Table 10: Core Transit Variables ...55

Table 11: Multimodal Emphasis Corridor Design Elements ...92

Table 12: Manatee County 2035 Needs Plan (Roadway Improvements) ...100

Table 13: Sarasota County 2035 Needs Plan (Roadway Improvements) ...108

Table 14: Regional 2035 Needs Plan (Roadway Improvements) ...114

Table 15: US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor Segments ...116

Table 16: Environmental Evaluation Measures ...121

Table 17: Revenue Available for New Capital Projects (in millions, YOE) ...133

Table 18: State and Federal Sources and Uses for Identified Funding Types ...134

Table 19: State and Federal Program Revenues (in millions, YOE) ...135

Table 20: Discretionary State/Federal Revenue Sources (in millions, YOE) ...136

Table 21: State Distributed Fuel Tax Revenues (in millions, YOE) ...139

Table 22: Existing Local Revenue Sources (in millions, YOE) ...143

Table 23: Local Transit Revenue Projections (in millions, YOE) ...145

Table 24: Potential New Local Revenue Sources (in millions, YOE) ...148

Table 25: 2035 LRTP Goals and Objectives ...152

Table 26: Prioritization of Needs Plan Projects ...158

Table 27: State Strategic Intermodal System Funds ...166

Table 28: SIS - Unfunded Needs ...167

Table 29: Manatee County Regional Projects (Federal / State - Other Arterial Funds) ...178

Table 30: Manatee County Regional Projects (Federal / State - TMA Funds) ...180

Table 31: Manatee County Regional Projects (Federal / State - Enhancement Funds) ...181

Table 32: Manatee County - Transportation Impact Fee / Developer -Funded ...182

Table 33: Sarasota County Regional Projects (Federal / State - Other Arterial Funds) ...186

Table 34: Sarasota County Regional Projects (Federal / State - TMA Funds) ...188

Table 35: Sarasota County Regional Projects (Federal / State - Enhancement Funds) ...189

Table 36: Sarasota County - Transportation Impact Fee / Developer-Funded ...190

Table 37: City of North Port - Transportation Impact Fee / Developer-Funded ...192

Table 38: Crashed by Intersection – Manatee County (2005-2007) ...198

Table 39: Crashes by Intersection – Sarasota County (2004-2006) ...198

Table 40: Sarasota/Manatee Crash Rates Compared to all U.S. Counties...200

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Overview

About the Sarasota/Manatee MPO

The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a regional transportation planning agency serving the Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Urbanized Area, which provides a forum for cooperative decision-making concerning regional and local transportation issues. The MPO was created by federal and state law to develop transportation plans and programs that encourage and promote the implementation of transportation facilities and services for all modes of transportation in a manner that increases the mobility of people and goods.

The MPO is governed by a policy board comprised of the locally elected officials in the Sarasota/Manatee area, as well as the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority and the Island Transportation Planning Authority, which represents the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. The District One Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation serves as a non-voting member of the MPO. The Board is supported by several standing committees, including a Citizen Advisory Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee, a Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee and a Public Transportation Task Force.

About the Long Range Transportation Plan

The Sarasota/Manatee 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP, aka Mobility 2035) is a strategic document for multimodal transportation strategies and investments to support and strengthen the region’s economic vitality, livability and environment. The plan entails two main elements: a Needs Plan and a Financially Feasible Plan. The Needs Plan charts a strategic direction for how the MPO, its member agencies and partners will achieve important mobility and accessibility goals over the next 25 years. The Financially Feasible Plan, approved on December 13, 2010, identifies priority transportation projects, and their associated costs, that can be funded by the estimated year of expenditure using projected revenues from a variety of federal, state and local sources over the planning horizon. The LRTP must meet certain established federal requirements to maintain the MPO’s eligibility to receive federal transportation funding.

It is important to note that the LRTP is foundation of the MPO’s continuing, comprehensive and coordinated transportation planning process, and provides a vision for regional mobility to address the Sarasota/Manatee’s needs and priorities over the next two decades. MPOs are established in all urban areas of the U.S. that are over 50,000 population to define community-based plans for the use of federal highway and transit funding. This process includes two major required products – a regional transportation plan, with at least a 20-year planning horizon, and a transportation

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improvement program, focusing on a shorter-term schedule of active projects.

LRTP Planning Factors

The 2035 LRTP is required by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to reflect consideration of the following eight planning areas:

• Support the economic vitality of the region by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency;

• Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users; • Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users; • Increase the accessibility and mobility of people and for freight;

• Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns;

• Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight;

• Promote efficient system management and operations; and • Emphasize preservation of the existing transportation system.

The Sarasota/Manatee MPO's mission is to develop a future plan,

through cooperation with our member governments and the general

public for a safe, efficient, financially feasible, environmentally

sensitive, regional, integrated multimodal transportation system that

supports sustainable, livable communities and economic development.

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Goal 1.0 Improve Multimodal Mobility and Connectivity Across the Region

Goal 2.0 Coordinates Land Use, Promote Multimodal Site Design, and Minimize Impacts

Goal 3.0 Expand Sustainable Transportation Alternatives to Protect the Environment, Reduce Energy Consumption, and Improve Public Health

Goal 4.0 Support Economic Vitality and Ensure Continued and Enhanced Participation in the Global Economy

Goal 5.0 Enhance System Management and Operations Goal 6.0 Ensure Financial Feasibility of the Transportation

System

Goal 7.0 Involve the Public in Transportation Decision-Making

Goal 8.0 Increase Safety in the Transportation System Goal 9.0 Increase Security and Resilience in the

Transportation System

LRTP Goals

Considering these factors as well as local and regional plans, policies, and priorities, the MPO established the following goals for the 2035 LRTP:

Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between the 2035 LRTP goals and the SAFETEA-LU planning factors:

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Statewide Planning Context

Two recent state laws – Senate Bill (SB) 360 and House Bill (HB) 697 – that emphasize the integration of land use and multimodal transportation strategies provide a backdrop for a substantial shift in transportation policy. HB 697 (2008) requires that local governments incorporate strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in their future land use, housing and transportation elements. The second draft of the proposed rules issued by the State of Florida Department of Community Affairs would

currently require that local governments demonstrate through policies and capital projects how they will work toward reducing vehicle miles of travel. SB 360 (2009) provides for changes to development and transportation concurrency requirements, especially for areas designated as “Dense Urban Land Areas” (DULA) as defined in the bill. A number of municipalities within the Sarasota/Manatee MPO boundary currently qualify as DULAs and have the opportunity to undertake planning efforts that will clarify transportation requirements for new development and provide strategies and funding methods to achieve the community’s vision for creating a multimodal transportation network that provide transportation choices and increases access and mobility. For example, local governments choosing to establish a Transportation Concurrency Exception Area (TCEA) must evaluate and develop funding strategies to improve multimodal mobility and accessibility by 2011. Local governments need to work closely with each other, the MPO, FDOT and other entities to identify funding opportunities, including potential grants, which can help them implement projects identified in both their own Transportation Elements and the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan.

Overview of the 2035 Plan Development Process

A team of MPO staff and consultants developed the 2035 Plan in coordination with a technical advisory committee of staff from local regional and state agencies; citizen advisors; the general public; and local decision-makers. Working together, the study team and the community developed and assessed anticipated transportation needs and weighed alternative transportation improvement strategies.

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SMC Travel Demand Model

A technical foundation of the 2035 LRTP was the Sarasota-Manatee-Charlotte (SMC) regional travel demand model, which was developed by the Florida Department of Transportation with assistance from the Charlotte County-Punta Gorda and Sarasota/Manatee MPOs for use in projecting future travel demand through 2035 and testing various transportation alternatives. The SMC model is an evaluation tool that represents land use and transportation interaction to assess the capability of the region’s highway and transit networks to support anticipated growth. The SMC model was validated for a 2007 base year using socioeconomic data (population and employment by traffic analysis zone, or TAZ), traffic counts and transit ridership statistics to establish the model as a reasonably accurate representation of current traffic patterns and conditions for use in predicting future travel demand.

The model was adjusted to reflect currently planned projects with construction funding through 2014 and those built since 2007 to represent an existing plus committed (E+C) network. This network was matched with projected 2035 land use data to estimate future transportation demand on the roadway and transit networks to determine where congestion is likely to occur. The model was also used to evaluate the ability of various network alternatives to meet future transportation needs by helping to reduce congestion, distributing traffic and reducing delay. These results were mapped and reviewed by the Steering Committee and the public, and provided a basis for selection of a preferred Needs Plan network and to set priorities for projects for consideration as part of the Financially Feasible Plan.

The resulting 2035 Financially Feasible Plan includes a balanced array of projects that provide the best possible mobility and accessibility for the region’s people and goods in the most cost-efficient manner. Key projects include a select number of critical highway and transit capacity expansion projects, such as additional lanes and routes along major corridors, supported by a broad array of multi-modal strategies to improve traffic and transit operations, such as intersection signal coordination, roadway connectivity, transit service frequency and pedestrian and bicycle route development.

Highlights from the analysis, findings, and development of the 2035 Plan are summarized below. More detailed information is presented in subsequent chapters.

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Anticipated Year 2035 System Capacity

One of the first steps in the plan development process was to update the travel demand model in order to identify probable future system performance based on anticipated future transportation and land use conditions. Based on this analysis, the study team identified corridors and networks that needed additional capacity in order to handle increased travel demand. This is the first step in determining the type of mobility improvement may be needed for a given corridor or road segment.

The following maps and statistics describe the levels of traffic congestion projected to occur by the year 2035. The results of the analysis assume the completion of short-range transportation improvement projects to which funding has been committed through the year 2015, as identified in the MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program.

As shown on Map 1 below, increased traffic congestion is anticipated along several major facilities, particularly in the once-rural areas of the region that are attracting increasingly high levels of suburban development. The analysis reveals several important anticipated changes in regional mobility conditions between now and the year 2035, including the following:

• A four percent increase in regionwide congested lane miles from 779 lane miles to 944 lane miles.

• An increase in overall Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) from 19,206,847 miles to 25,746,825 miles

• An increase in Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) from 689,355 hours to 1,137,100 hours regionwide. VHT per person will increase by 18 minutes in Sarasota County, and six minutes regionwide.

• Overall Vehicle Hours of Delay (VHD) will increase regionwide from 192,891 hours to 462,219 hours.

• Delay per person will increase from 15 minutes to 32 minutes in Manatee County, 17 to 24 minutes in Sarasota County, and 16 to 28 minutes regionwide.

• Regionwide, 41 percent of travel will be spent in delay, an increase of 13 percent over current conditions.

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2035 Transportation System Needs

The context of the 2035 Needs Plan is substantially different than when the Sarasota/Manatee MPO last adopted a Long Range Transportation Plan in 2005. Just five years ago, the Sarasota/Manatee region was in rapid growth mode, and the over-riding concern was traffic congestion and the timing of needed roadway capacity to catch up with the demands of approved and pending land development, particularly in areas east of I-75, north of the Manatee River and in the North Port area. Since that time, the United States has struggled through a recession, arguably the worst national economic downturn since the 1930s. The impact on Florida, and its southwestern counties in particular, has been severe. A dramatic decline in housing demand, double-digit unemployment, tight credit markets and constrained household and government budgets, has changed the landscape for transportation and development. Furthermore, the federal and state policy framework has changed since 2005 to emphasize reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, and less dependence on fossil fuels, and there is greater interest in regional and local major transit investments.

Each of those issues frames the strategies for the Sarasota/Manatee MPO’s 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan. While road capacity and adequate facilities to serve new development remain important, the emphasis appears to have shifted in the region to transportation investments that support diversified job creation, and greater long term economic stability and sustainability. Along with the cities, both counties have a renewed focused on mixed-use redevelopment, infill, economic encouragement zones and “green infrastructure” as key policies for the future. A desire to create more walkable streets and improve regional and local transit service fit into this new policy framework. Reflecting the difficult economic climate, the MPO’s adopted goals and objectives for the 2035 LRTP largely focus on making more efficient use of existing facilities to improve safety, access and mobility for all users.

Specific regionwide projects identified in the Needs Plan include the following projects which are discussed in greater detail under the individual corridor descriptions: express bus and managed lanes along I-75, Multimodal Emphasis for US 41 and a corresponding shift of freight and through-traffic to US 301, the Port Manatee Connector which links the Port to other transportation facilities and centers to the east, a series of Bus Rapid Transit lines running both north-south and east-west in the region, and an interconnected network of bicycle & pedestrian facilities and trails to provide for non-motorized transportation. While most of these needs are identified on the Needs Maps and in the Needs Project Table, some will need to be incorporated into policies implemented by the Sarasota/Manatee MPO, local governments, and other decision-making bodies to ensure their future implementation. One example of such a policy issue involves right-of-way dedication and acquisition for Bus Rapid Transit and other similar corridors.

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Regional and Corridor Approach

The 2035 Needs Plan builds from a regionwide needs assessment and an examination of key mobility issues and opportunities within 11 defined corridors. The regional perspective examines the current and future growth patterns and travel conditions influencing major regional transportation facilities and services, reflecting mobility issues and needs in the larger West Central Florida and Southwest Florida region. The foundation for the regional assessment is the 2035 Regional LRTP, approved in 2009 by the West Central Florida MPO Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC), of which the Sarasota/Manatee MPO is a voting member. In addition, the regional perspective reflects the employment and activity centers, such as downtowns, sea- and airports, education districts and other major commercial centers, and the primary regional transportation facilities on the Strategic Intermodal System, such as I-75, I-275, SR 70 and University Parkway. Each of the corridors reflects a predominant travel pattern, and generally adheres to a regionally significant roadway or rail alignment. The corridors encompass a series of regional, sub-regional and local transportation facilities. The objective of the corridor-level analysis in the LRTP is to determine the best mix of mobility and accessibility strategies given the economic opportunities and land use objectives in the corridor, as well as the transportation network characteristics, including gaps, barriers and constraints.

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Summary of Needs Plan Results

The recommended 2035 Needs Plan substantially improves mobility and accessibility for Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Each of the transportation projects defined through the needs assessment process has been coded into the regional travel demand model (covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties) to compare transportation network performance against the existing plus committed (E+C) transportation network with estimated 2035 population and employment totals. The E+C network only includes new transportation projects that will be constructed in the next five years. At a regional perspective, the results of this analysis indicate the following:

• A reduction in 362 lane miles of roadways experiencing traffic congestion (down from 944 lane miles in the E+C network)

• A 13 percent decrease in congestion (17% in Sarasota County; 10% in Manatee County) • A reduction in vehicle miles traveled by more than 100,000

• About a 180,000 decrease in vehicle hours of travel and vehicle hours of delay (a measure of congestion relief), and

• A decrease by about 12 percent of travel time spent in delay from traffic congestion.

There are roadways that remain congested with the Needs Plan, including portions of US 41, Cortez Road, US 301 and numerous roadways in the downtown core areas and on the islands where capacity is constrained. However, the addition of two new bridges over the Manatee River substantially improves travel conditions between Palmetto and Bradenton and on I-75.

The 2035 Needs Plan assumes a substantial increase in bus service frequency, hours of service and coverage, and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors in both counties, along with regional express bus service, provide faster and more reliable travel options within congested and constrained corridors. These networks have been planned in close coordination with the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) and the West Central Florida MPO CCC. These investments generally operate in parallel to roadways that remain congested in 2035.

The transit component of the 2035 Needs Plan reflects a 120 percent increase in transit ridership above the current ridership levels of the two county-operated bus systems. Of that increase, about 25 percent is attributable to the growth in population and employment expected by 2035, with the rest resulting from more frequent and available transit service. The analysis revealed that the north-south BRT from the Sarasota Memorial Hospital area to the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is the most productive of the planned BRT routes with roughly 70 percent of the total BRT ridership. The northern BRT connection from the airport to Bradenton/Palmetto generates a similarly large share of projected system ridership. Overall, bus ridership levels are projected to be higher in Sarasota County due to having more route coverage and service hours.

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The overall mode share for transit remains very low, even with the planned service improvements, but it increases within certain corridors, such as US 41 between downtown Sarasota and Bradenton.

2035 Needs Plan Cost Estimates

The total estimated cost for projects in the 2035 Needs Plan is $6.2 billion ($2.3 billion for Sarasota, and $3.9 billion for Manatee). The estimates were developed using the LRTP Costing Tool developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 1 to assist MPOs with project costs. The Tool provides estimated 2010 project costs based on project type, location, and length, which are refined using local information, planning processes and specific project cost estimates which have been developed. Once the implementation timeframe has been defined during development of the Financially Feasible Plan, the Costing Tool is used to apply inflation factors to the 2010 costs to calculate Year of Expenditure (YOE) costs for each phase. As shown in Figure 3 below, the resulting estimates indicate the MPO should anticipate project costs to increase by as much as 70 percent due to inflation. Projects that are scheduled to take many years, particularly if they are begun in the outer years of the plan, will cost more than projects that can be completed sooner. For example, the road construction (CST) cost for widening 27th Street East in Manatee County is $24.8 million in 2010 dollars, and it grows to $34.4 million if the project is built in 2021-2025.

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Financial Resources

In order to determine the limits of financial feasibility for evaluating the potential inclusion of Needs Plan projects in the Financially Feasible Plan, the project team developed projections of financial resources and revenues that are anticipated to be available. To meet federal requirements of the SAFETEA-LU, all revenues are expressed in year of expenditure (YOE) dollars to reflect a projected rate of inflation. The use of YOE dollars may present an appearance of a greater availability of funds, but this is not necessarily the case.

The revenue projections, which account for the effects of inflation over time, reflect committed and uncommitted transportation revenues expected to be generated at local and state levels, including funding sources dedicated to specific categories such as the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) and maintenance/ operations activities.

Of the total estimated revenue over the planning period, much of it includes state and local funding sources of that are not available to the MPO for transportation capacity or service improvements, such as the major FDOT expenditures planned for the SIS category (primarily for I-75), as well as on-going maintenance and operations of existing roadways and bus networks in both counties. Many of these sources, such as the Constitutional, County, and Municipal Fuel Taxes, are currently used for roadway operations and maintenance rather than capital projects, and this is likely to be the case in the future. Other sources, such as the existing Sarasota County Infrastructure Surtax, are already fully committed to paying for capital projects through its expiration in 2024. Therefore, the revenue projected to be available to the MPO for development of its financially feasible 2035 LRTP is $1.9 billion, inclusive of state/federal sources (Other non-SIS Arterials, TMA and Enhancements) and transportation impact fee revenues projected to be generated by new development over the planning horizon.

An estimate of the existing revenue sources that would potentially be available for new capital projects or transit service expansion is shown in Table 1. The table includes the state and federal revenue sources that have historically been considered by the MPO as available for capital projects during preparation of the Financially Feasible LRTP. It excludes the revenues projected for the SIS category. The existing local revenue sources for roadways included in the table are limited to projected transportation impact fee revenues because all other gas tax and local funding is projected to maintain the current system. Per information from both county transit operating departments, there are no projected revenues identified for expansion of existing local bus service, whether for capital or operating. Figure 4 presents a bar chart of the funding sources for each county.

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Table 1: Revenue Available for New Capital Projects (in millions, YOE) REVENUE SOURCES FY 2014/15 SUB TOTAL FY 2016/20 SUB TOTAL FY 2021/25 SUB TOTAL FY 2026/30 SUB TOTAL FY 2031/35 SUB TOTAL 22 YEAR TOTAL

State and Federal Sources* 52.3 152.1 167.5 177.6 189.0 738.5 Existing Local Sources –

Roadways 60.6 182.8 236.8 303.1 385.1 1,168.5 Existing Local Sources –

Transit Expansion† 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 TOTAL AVAILABLE

FOR NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS 112.9 334.9 404.3 480.7 574.1 1,907.0

* Excluding SIS Highways

†All projected local revenues are used to maintain current systems in both counties.

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As shown in the figure, total state and federal revenues are about $738 million, while the total existing local sources available for roadway capital projects is about $1.1 billion. Total local transit revenues are used exclusively to maintain the existing bus operations and maintaining the capital facilities and equipment; there are no defined revenue sources for additional bus service or expansion of bus fleets. Thus, the overall total available revenue for both counties is about $1.9 billion over the planning period, and is $4.3 billion short of the Needs Plan projected cost estimates.

Financially Feasible Plan

The Financially Feasible Plan identifies priority transportation projects for roadways, transit and non-motorized modes, and their associated costs, that can be funded by the estimated year of expenditure using projected revenues from a variety of available federal, state and local sources over the planning horizon. The MPO Board considered two alternative approaches to building the Financially Feasible Plan using different funding strategies. One option allocated funding to projects in the adopted Needs Plan

based on currently-adopted MPO priorities and County thoroughfare plans. That alternative left little funding for emerging priority corridors, such as multimodal redevelopment strategies on US 41 and expansion of bus service in both counties. A second option allocated some of the available funding toward multimodal transportation projects in the US 41 corridor and the development of Bus Rapid Transit. This shift to funding multimodal strategies and projects that support local redevelopment goals resulted in a wider variety of projects that can be funded during the planning horizon, and assumed some changes in MPO priority projects and how they would be funded (such as using locally-generated impact fees to fund some of the priorities).

Following the MPO Board workshop on October 25, 2010, to discuss the two alternative funding approaches for the financially feasible plan and a series of presentations to gain additional input from area city and county elected boards, the MPO staff and consultant team developed a recommended financially feasible 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan. The recommended plan builds upon the input from the LRTP Steering Committee, as well as the discussions with the MPO and various policy boards following the October workshop, and incorporates elements of both funding options to create a single list of financially feasible transportation projects in both

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counties. The MPO Board voted to adopt the 2035 Financially Feasible LRTP on December 13, 2010.

The financially feasible plan includes several components: (1) Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) projects as defined by the Florida Department of Transportation’s 2035 SIS Cost Feasible Plan; (2) Other roadway capacity projects in Manatee and Sarasota County funded with state/federal revenues; (3) Projects funded using local transportation impact fees and developer mitigation; (4) non-roadway capacity projects funded in each county using federal enhancement revenues; and (5) A US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor program in both counties that includes funding for the Bus Rapid Transit network using state/federal revenues. Due to the lack of defined local funding sources for transit service expansion, the recommended plan does not include any local bus service expansion or operating costs for the planned Bus Rapid Transit network.

Overall, the recommended plan entails a balanced approach to development of a multimodal transportation system by combining funding sources to achieve the MPO’s adopted project priorities within the 2035 planning horizon. For example, this entails use of a percentage of state/federal revenues for the SR 681 interchange modification and River Road/Englewood Interstate Connector project in Sarasota County to match with projected impact revenues. Other projects are also funded with state/federal sources, such as the EZ Flyover at Port Manatee and 15th Street East in Manatee County.

There is one change in the recommended funding of MPO priorities. The plan fully funds the remaining work to six-lane and make intersection improvements to the northern and middle segments of the Venice Bypass. However, the MPO Board voted to modify the 6-lane widening strategy for the very expensive southern segment of the Venice Bypass to instead advance right-of-way and construction funding for a reconstruction, rehabilitation and intersection improvement project along the segment that maintains four through travel lanes. This results in a substantially lower project cost estimate of $25 million. By lowering this cost, the MPO is able to advance the project from the outer years of the LRTP to a near term improvement, with construction in the 2021-2025 time frame.

That cost reduction also frees up additional revenue to support construction of US 41 Multimodal Corridor strategies. The plan recommends establishing a box or set-aside of revenue for local governments to seek funds from the MPO for a given segment of the corridor, which runs from 17th Street in Palmetto to the

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Charlotte County line, including Business 41 in Bradenton and Venice. The plan allocates a total of $72 million in Manatee County and $146 million in Sarasota County for this corridor, reflecting the changes in scope for the Venice Bypass southern segment and use of impact fees to partially fund the southern segment of the River Road project. Specific strategies will be defined as local governments bring projects forward through funding requests; however, they will generally entail land use and transportation measures that create more balance among modes, safer and more comfortable access for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users, and maintain regional mobility. The MPO will define criteria and other program details following adoption of the LRTP.

In Manatee County, the plan funds Port Manatee-related transportation improvements, and widening portions of US 301 and SR 64. The plan includes separate corridor feasibility studies for capacity improvements to the US 41/301 corridor serving Bradenton and Palmetto, and a new bridge crossing of the Manatee River between downtown and I-75.

Table 2 presents a list of the recommended Financially Feasible Plan projects by county, including their primary funding source. There are a series of tables elsewhere in this document that provide additional detail on the phasing and year of expenditure cost for these projects. Map 3 depicts the Financially Feasible Plan projects. The Plan funds about 42 percent of Needs Plan projects for the Strategic Intermodal System (leaving some Port-related projects and the I-75 managed lanes unfunded), and allocates about $1.3 billion, or 33 percent of the Needs Plan, toward Manatee County projects, and $1.2 billion, or 51 percent of the Needs Plan, in Sarasota County. Those percentages in each county include assumptions about impact fees and development contributions/commitments toward several projects. Aside from I-75, unfunded projects represent the proposed new Manatee River bridge, growth-related capacity projects that will eventually require developer funding, and bus service expansion.

Table 2: Recommended Financially Feasible Plan Projects (Detailed project costs can be found starting on page 155)

DESCRIPTION PROJECT FROM / TO: FUNDING SOURCE

I-75 Widen to six lanes River Road to Sumter

Blvd FDOT / SIS I-75 at Fruitville Rd Interchange upgrade FDOT / SIS I-75 at SR 70 Interchange upgrade FDOT / SIS Port Manatee Connector New limited access facility US 41 ( Port Manatee)

to I-75 FDOT / SIS I-75 at US 301 New limited access facility FDOT / SIS

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I-75 at University Pkwy Interchange upgrade FDOT / SIS CMS Boxed Funds CMS funds ($1,000,000

annually) Manatee County

Federal / State (Manatee County)

US 301 Corridor Study/

Bradenton-Palmetto Feasibility / Corridor Study

17th Street-Palmetto to 13th Ave-Bradenton

New Manatee River Bridge Feasibility / Corridor Study SR 64 (Manatee Ave) to US 301

15th St. E

Widen to three lanes (center turn lane and multimodal projects)

Tallevast Rd to 53rd Ave E.

SR 64 / Manatee Ave Widen to four lanes I-75 to 39th St. E Federal / State (Manatee County)

US 301 Widen to four lanes CR 675 to Moccasin Wallow Rd.

Ellenton-Gillette Rd Widen to four lanes 69th St. to Buckeye Rd Federal / State (Manatee County)

EZ Flyover Grade separated interchange US 41 at Port Manatee Connector

Federal / State (Manatee County) US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor Multimodal projects on US 41 in Manatee County City of Palmetto to USF / University Pkwy

Manatee BRT BRT infrastructure City of Bradenton to USF / University Pkwy

CMS Boxed Funds CMS funds ($1,000,000

annually) Sarasota County

Federal / State (Sarasota County)

ATMS Regional System ATMS system expansion Sarasota County Federal / State (Sarasota County)

US 41 Bypass (Venice

North ) Widen to six lanes

Bird Day Drive to Albee Farm Road

Middle) Widen to six lanes

Albee Farm Road to Gulf Coast Blvd

South) Widen to six lanes

Gulf Coast Blvd to Center Road

River Road (EIC phase 1)* Widen to four lanes US 41 to Center Road Federal / State (Sarasota County)

River Road (EIC Phase 2)* Widen to four lanes Center Road to I-75 Federal / State (Sarasota County)

River Road (EIC Phase 3) Widen to four lanes Winchester Blvd to US 41

Federal / State and Local (Sarasota County) River Road (EIC Phase 4) Widen to four lanes SR 776 to S. River

Road

Federal / State and Local (Sarasota County) I-75 / SR 681** Convert to full interchange

Federal / State with Local and Developer Funded Contributions (Sarasota County)

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US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor

Multimodal projects on US 41 in Sarasota County

USF / University Pkwy to Charlotte County

Sarasota BRT BRT Infrastructure

USF / University Pkwy to Westfield Southgate Plaza

Green Bridge Trail Multiuse trail Bradenton to Palmetto

Federal / State

Enhancements (Manatee County)

Rye Preserve Trail Multiuse trail Rye Preserve to Lake Manatee State Park

Federal / State

Rails with Trails Multiuse trail Willow to Ellenton Trail with Rail

Federal / State

Trails, Sidewalk gaps and

bike lanes Fill gaps ($120 million need) Countywide

Federal / State

Legacy Trail Northern

Extension Multiuse trail

Northern Terminus to Alderman Trail / Downtown Federal / State Enhancements (Sarasota County)

Trails, Sidewalks and Bike Lanes

Fill gaps ($120 million est.

need) Countywide

Federal / State

Enhancements (Sarasota County)

45th St E. Widen to four lanes 53rd Ave E. to 44th Ave E.

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) 53rd Ave Widen to four lanes 43rd St W. to 75th St.

W.

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) 63rd Ave E Widen to four lanes US 301 to 39th St E. Local / Developer Funded

(Manatee County) 27th St E Widen to four lanes US 301 to SR 64

(Manatee Ave)

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) Honore Ave Widen to four lanes Conestoga Place to

Sandstone Ave

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) 44th Ave E. New four lane road and

bridge

45th St E to Lakewood Ranch Blvd

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) 44th Ave E New four lane road Lakewood Ranch to

Lorraine Rd

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) Artisan Lakes Parkway New four lane road Moccasin Wallow Rd

to Buckeye Rd.

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) Erie Rd Widen to four lanes US 301 to 69th St E. Local / Developer Funded

(Manatee County) 69th St E Widen to four lanes Erie Rd to US 41 Local / Developer Funded

(Manatee County) II Road / Sawgrass Rd New four lane road

I-75 / Port Manatee Connector to Buckeye Rd

Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County)

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Moccasin Wallow Rd Widen to four lanes US 301 to US 41 Local / Developer Funded (Manatee County) ATMS ITS infrastructure Countywide (170

signals)

Local / Developer Funded (Sarasota County) Bee Ridge Rd Widen to six lanes Cattleman Rd to Bond

St

Local / Developer Funded (Sarasota County) US 41 Widen to six lanes Gulf Gate Dr to Central

Sarasota Pkwy

Local / Developer Funded (Sarasota County) Honore Ave Ext Widen to four lanes Laurel Rd to SR 681 Local / Developer Funded

(Sarasota County) US 41 Widen to six lanes Sumter Blvd to

Charlotte County Line

Local / Developer Funded (Sarasota County) River Road (EIC phase 1)* Widen to four lanes US 41 to Center Road Local / Developer Funded

(Sarasota County) River Road (EIC Phase 2)* Widen to four lanes Center Road to I-75 Local / Developer Funded

(Sarasota County) I-75 / SR 681** Convert to full interchange Local / Developer Funded

(Sarasota County) Lakewood Ranch Blvd New four lane road Fruitville Road to

University Pkwy

Local / Developer Funded (Sarasota County) Price Blvd Widen to four lanes Sumter Blvd to Toledo

Blade Blvd

Local / Developer Funded (City of North Port) Price Blvd Widen to four lanes Biscayne Dr to Sumter

Blvd

Local / Developer Funded (City of North Port) Price Blvd Widen to four lanes Toledo Blade Blvd to

Panacea Blvd

Local / Developer Funded (City of North Port) Price Blvd / Orlando Blvd Widen to four lanes Panacea Blvd to

Veterans Blvd

Local / Developer Funded (City of North Port) I-75 at Yorkshire St New interchange Local / Developer Funded

(City of North Port) * EIC phases 1 & 2 are 20% MPO-funded and 80% Impact

Fee-funded

** I-75 / SR 681 interchange is 10% federally-funded and 90% Impact Fee- and

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Mobility Assessment

This chapter describes the following steps taken to assess anticipated future transportation needs, strategies, and resources:

• Establishing overarching goals, objectives, performance measures and targets to guide the planning process, assist in assessing future conditions and needs, and identifying potential solutions;

• Seeking input on transportation issues and potential strategies from the public through periodic community workshops and meetings;

• Analyzing existing and future socioeconomic conditions that affect travel demand; and • Assessing current and future year transportation system performance.

SocioEconomic Conditions and Trends

Methodology

The Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) at the University of Florida develops and maintains demographic forecasts through the year 2035 for cities and counties to use in individual budgeting, planning and policy analysis. Data is maintained by municipality and county.

Using the BEBR control totals for 2035 for each county, growth was allocated to high growth areas following each county’s comprehensive plan. Working in concert with individual City and County staffs, allocations were then refined based on current planning documents and studies using the following methodology:

• Manatee County – 2035 population and employment was developed for the Mobility 2035 study which used pending and approved developments and allocated the remaining growth to high growth areas.

• City of Bradenton – population and employment use for the Comprehensive Plan Amendments and the Objections, Recommendations and Comments responses for the Florida Department of Community Affairs were used in the LRTP.

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redevelopable areas following the comprehensive plan.

• Sarasota County – allocated growth with staff based on pending and approved development.

• City of Sarasota – allocated growth with staff based on Redevelopment Plans and high growth areas.

• City of Venice – allocated growth based on high growth areas and comments from staff. • City of North Port – allocated growth with staff based on Comp Plan and the Price Blvd

Study.

Demographic and Economic Trends and Issues

The Sarasota-Manatee region has experienced steady growth over the past years and is expected to continue this trend into the future. By the year 2035, the population is expected to increase by approximately 289,000 residents. This would bring the total number of residents to nearly one million across the region. The incorporated areas of Sarasota County, including the City of Sarasota, Venice, Northport and Longboat Key, will experience the highest percentage of growth overall, adding 117,230 new residents by 2035, a 14 percent increase. However, most of this growth will take place in Northport, which is expected to add more than 91,000 new residents, the lion’s share of growth for the entire region.

The unincorporated areas of Manatee County will experience similar amounts of growth within the planning year horizon. Countywide the unincorporated areas will absorb more than 106,000 new residents. Many of the subareas within the unincorporated area will experience percent increases in the triple digits. Bradenton, Palmetto, and Longboat Key will add approximately 17,000 new residents collectively.

About 131,000 new jobs are anticipated to be created within the region during the same time frame. The majority of jobs will be added in the incorporated areas of the City of Sarasota, Northport, and Bradenton. Significant job growth will also take place in Manatee County around Lakewood Ranch, DeSoto Mall, Oneco, Parrish, and Ellenton.

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324,428 327,900 341,300 367,400 392,700 416,300 448,401 384,057 396,000 425,500 458,900 491,500 522,700 551,242 2007 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 Sarasota / Manatee 2035 LRTP (Interim Year Population Projections)

Manatee County Population (Countywide) Sarasota County Population (Countywide) Figure 5: Interim Year Population Projections

Figure 6: Interim Year Employment Projections

139,813 141,309 147,084 158,332 169,235 179,405 192,657 194,082 200,117 215,025 231,904 248,378 264,145 272,538 2007 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 Sarasota / Manatee 2035 LRTP (Interim Year Employment Projections)

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Table 3: Population Projections POPULATION PROJECTIONS 2007 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2007 - 2035 INCREASE PERCENT INCREASE MA N A TE E C O U N TY

Manatee County (Unincorporated) 244,319 247,309 258,851 281,330 303,121 323,448 351,096 106,777 44% City of Bradenton 54,093 54,499 56,067 59,120 62,080 64,841 68,597 14,504 27% City of Palmetto 15,034 15,077 15,242 15,564 15,876 16,167 16,563 1,529 10% Islands 10,982 11,015 11,140 11,385 11,622 11,844 12,145 1,163 11%

Total Manatee County

(City + County) 324,428 327,900 341,300 367,400 392,700 416,300 448,401 123,973 38%

Sarasota County (Unincorporated) 243,519 247,088 255,902 265,882 275,623 284,946 293,474 49,955 21% City of Sarasota 56,427 57,546 60,309 63,437 66,491 69,414 72,087 15,660 28% City of Venice _22,166 _22,879 _24,641 _26,636 _28,583 _30,446 _32,151 _9,985 _45% S ARAS O T A CO UNT Y

City of North Port _53,736 _60,259 _76,372 _94,615 _{112,422 129,463} _145,053 _91,317 _170% Islands _8,209 _8,228 _8,275 _8,329 _8,381 _8,431 _8,477 ₂₆₈ _3%

Total Sarasota County

(City + County) 384,057 396,000 425,500 458,900 491,500 522,700 551,242 167,185 44%

Total MPO Area

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Table 4: Employment Projections EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS 2007 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2007 - 2035 INCREASE PERCENT INCREASE MA N A TE E C O U N TY

Manatee County (Unincorporated) 94,233 95,328 99,555 107,788 115,769 123,213 132,913 38,680 41% City of Bradenton 35,069 35,415 36,752 39,355 41,878 44,231 47,298 12,229 35% City of Palmetto 6,547 6,602 6,813 7,225 7,624 7,997 8,482 1,935 30% Islands 3,964 3,964 3,964 3,964 3,964 3,964 3,964 - 0%

Total Manatee County

(City + County) 139,813 141,309 147,084 158,332 169,235 179,405 192,657 52,844 38%

Sarasota County (Unincorporated) 115,549 117,962 123,921 130,668 137,254 143,557 146,802 31,253 27% City of Sarasota 51,072 53,108 58,138 63,833 69,391 74,710 77,725 26,377 52% City of Venice 14,037 14,339 15,084 15,928 16,752 17,540 17,946 3,909 28% S ARAS O T A CO UN T

Y City of North Port 7,182 8,467 11,640 15,233 18,739 22,095 23,823 16,641 232% Islands _6,242 _6,242 _6,242 _6,242 _6,242 _6,242 _6,242 _- _0%

Total Sarasota County

(City + County) 194,082 200,117 215,025 231,904 248,378 264,145 272,538 78,180 40%

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Figure 7: Population Increase Per Acre 2007 – 2035

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Existing and Projected Transportation System Performance

Current Roadway Network Conditions and Trends

The performance evaluation of the roadway network is focused upon the following variables:

• Congested lane miles and the percentage of congested lane miles; • Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) and the miles of travel per trip; • Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) and the hours of travel per trip; • Vehicle Hours of Delay (VHD) and the delay per trip; and, • The percentage of travel spent in delay.

Highlights of 2007 roadway conditions are as follows:

• Twenty-four percent of the lane miles within the MPO are currently congested. • The average Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per person is 27.

• Average Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) per person within the MPO is 1 hour. Manatee County exhibits slightly longer travel times at 72 minutes, while Sarasota travel time is 48 minutes.

• Average delay per person is 16 minutes.

• Twenty-eight percent of travel is spent in delay MPO-wide. Sarasota County exhibits 36% of travel in delay.

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Table 5: E+C Performance Measures (2007) MANATEE COUNTY SARASOTA COUNTY TOTAL MPO Population 324,428 384,057 708,485 Lane Miles 1,570 1,670 3,240

Congested Lane Miles 345 434 779

Percent Congested 22% 26% 24%

Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) 8,295,972 10,910,874 19,206,847

VMT per Person 26 28 27

Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) 388,833 300,522 689,355

VHT per Person 1.2 0.8 1.0

Vehicle Hours of Delay (VHD) 84,327 108,564 192,891

VHD per Person 0.26 0.28 0.27

Percent of Travel Spent in Delay 22% 36% 28%

Assessing Future Year System Performance

MPO Commitments

As documented in the Transportation Improvement Program, the MPO has committed funds through Fiscal Year 2014/15 to certain projects. These projects, shown in Map 4, were incorporated into the “base case” transportation network for the purposes of modeling anticipated Year 2035 congestion levels and alternative congestion reduction strategies.

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Table 6: Committed Projects through Year 2014

COUNTY PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Manatee 10th Street West @ 10th Avenue West Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Manatee 15th Street / 301 Blvd - Tellevast Rd to 53rd Ave E. Widen to 3 lanes (center turn lane + multimodal)

Manatee 15th Street East@26th Avenue East Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Manatee 44th Avenue East - 15th Street East to 19th Street East Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Manatee 44th Avenue East - US 41 to 15th Street East Widen 2 to 3 Lanes (Center Turn Lanes)

Manatee 44th Avenue East - 19th Street East to US 301 Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Manatee 44th Avenue East - US 301 to 30th Street East Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Manatee 44th Avenue East - US 41 to 45th Street East New 0 to 4 Lanes

Manatee 51st Street West@38th Avenue West Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Manatee 59th Street West - Manatee Avenue to Cortez Road Add Turn Lanes

Manatee 63rd Avenue East - Over Pearce Canal Widen Two Lane Bridge to Five Lane Bridge

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Manatee 9th Street East - 53rd Avenue East to 57th Avenue East

Manatee El Conquistador Parkway - 53rd Street W to El Conquistador Parkway New 0 to 4 Lanes

Manatee Fort Hamer / Upper Manatee River Road - Bridge New 2 Lane Bridge

Manatee Haben Boulevard @ Riviera Dunes Roundabout

Manatee I-75@ SR 70 Interchange Improvements

Manatee I-75@US 301 Interchange Improvements

Manatee Lakewood Ranch - SR 64 to SR 70 Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Manatee Manatee Ave - Carlton Arms to I-75 Widen to 6 lanes

Manatee MCAT Maintenance & Operations Facility

Manatee Old Tampa Road @ Fort Hamer Road Intersection Improvements

Manatee SR 64 - East of Lena Rd to Lakewood Ranch Blvd Widen 2 to 6 Lanes

Manatee SR 64 - Lakewood Ranch to Lorraine Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

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Manatee SR 70 - Tara Blvd to Lorraine Rd Widen 4 to 6 Lanes

Manatee U S 301 @ Ellenton Gillette Road Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Manatee U S 301 @ Fort Hamer Road Intersection Intersection Improvements

Manatee University Parkway - US 41 to US 301 Median and Turn Lane Upgrade

Manatee US 301 - Erie Road to Fort Hamer Road Widen 2 to 6 Lanes

Manatee US 301 @ Colony Cove Drive Modify Intersection

Manatee US 301@ University Parkway Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Manatee US 41@ 23rd Street East Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Sarasota 17th Street @ US 301 Intersection Improvements

Sarasota Bahia Vista Rd - McIntosh Rd to Cattlemen Rd Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Bee Ridge Road Extension - West of Mauna Loa Blvd. to Iona Road Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Cattlemen Road - Ph 5 - South of Packinghouse Rd to South of Fruitville

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Sarasota Center Rd - Jacaranda Blvd to River Rd Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Clark Rd@ Honore Rd Intersection Improvements

Sarasota Fruitville Rd - Coburn to Sarasota Center Boulevard Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Gulfstream (SR 789) - West of Sunset to W of US 41 Add EB to SB Turn Lanes

Sarasota Honore Avenue - Bee Ridge Road to north of Weber Extension

Sarasota Honore Avenue at Clark Rd Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Sarasota Honore Avenue Phase 5 - SR 681 to Palmer Ranch Parkway New 0 to 2 Lanes

Sarasota I-75 - River Road to SR 681 Widen 4 to 6 Lanes

Sarasota I-75 - Toledo Blade to Sumter Blvd. Widen 4 to 6 Lanes (Design funded)

Sarasota US 41 - Charlotte County Line to Sumter Blvd. PD&E Design Right-of-Way

Sarasota I-75@ University Parkway Interchange Improvements

Sarasota Laurel Road E and Knights Trail Rd Intersection Improvements

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Sarasota McIntosh Rd - BeeRidge Rd to Proctor Rd Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota McIntosh Rd, ph 1 - Sawyer Loop Rd to Proctor Rd Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota N.Cattlemen Rd - Richardson Rd to University Pkwy New 0 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota North Cattleman Road - Richardson Road to Desoto Road Widen 0 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Pinebrook Road - Venice Ave South to Center Road New 0 to 2 Lanes

Sarasota Proctor Rd - Honore Rd to Gantt Rd Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Proctor Rd- Ph2 - McIntosh Road to west of Honore Avenue Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota Ringling Blvd Roundabout@Pineapple Avenue Roundabout

Sarasota Ringling Boulevard @ Palm Avenue Roundabout

Sarasota River Rd @ US 41 Intersection Improvements

Sarasota SR 72 @ Proctor Road Intersection Improvements

Sarasota Sumter Boulevard - City Center Blvd To Hansard Avenue Bridge Rehab and Add Lanes

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Sarasota US 301 - Wood Street to 12th Street Reconstruct/Add Turn Lanes

Sarasota US 301 - Myrtle Street To Desoto Road Widen 4 to 6 Lanes

Sarasota US 301 - 12th Street to Myrtle Street Widen 4 to 6 Lanes

Sarasota US 301 @ Fruitville Road Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Sarasota US 41 - US 41 Bus North to SR 681 Widen 4 to 6 Lanes

Sarasota US 41 - US 41 Bypass North to US 41 Bypass South Widen 2 to 4 Lanes

Sarasota US 41 @ Bahia Vista Street Intersection Improvements- Add Turn Lanes

Sarasota US 41 @ South Biscayne Drive Intersection Improvement

Sarasota US 41 - Charlotte County Line to Sumter Blvd Widen to 6 Lanes

Sarasota Venice Avenue @Jacaranda Blvd Roundabout

Sarasota Webber St - McIntosh Rd to Cattlemen Rd New 0 to 2 Lanes

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Anticipated Future Congestion Levels

The following map and statistics describe the levels of traffic congestion projected to occur by the year 2035. The results of the analysis assume the completion of short-range transportation improvement projects to which funding has been committed through the year 2015, as identified in the MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program.

As shown in the map, increased traffic congestion is anticipated along several major facilities, particularly along I-75, US 301, SR 64, and SR 70. The analysis reveals several important anticipated changes in regional mobility conditions between now and the year 2035 and includes the following:

• A four percent increase in regionwide Congested Lane Miles from 779 lane miles to 944 lane miles.

• An increase in overall Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) from 19,206,847 miles to 25,746,825 miles.

• An increase in Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) from 689,355 hours to 1,137,100 hours regionwide. VHT per person will increase by 18 minutes in Sarasota County, and six minutes regionwide.

• Overall Vehicle Hours of Delay (VHD) will increase regionwide from 192,891 hours to 462,219 hours minutes.

• Delay per person will increase from 15 minutes to 32 minutes in Manatee County, 17 to 24 minutes in Sarasota, and 16 to 28 minutes regionwide.

• Regionwide, 41 percent of travel will be spent in delay, an increase of 13 percent over current conditions.

Table 6 presents the changes in key transportation performance indicators in both counties and for the region as a whole between the 2007 base year condition and the 2035 condition with the E+C transportation network. The table reflects projected increases in population from 2007 to 2035 and the associated effects on transportation network conditions. For instance, the MPO area is projected to experience a growth of nearly 300,000 more residents, which will result in 165 more lane miles of roads operating in congested conditions without additional capacity improvements beyond those already committed for construction by 2014.

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Table 7: Changes between 2007 and 2035 Performance Indicators MANATEE COUNTY SARASOTA COUNTY TOTAL MPO Population 124,004 164,809 288,813 Lane Miles 32.00 76.00 108.00

Congested Lane Miles 58.00 107.00 165.00

Percent Congested 3% 5% 4%

Vehicle Miles of Travel 3,278,751.00 3,261,229.00 6,539,978.00

VMT per Person 0.00 -2.00 -1.00

Vehicle Hours of Travel 161,245.00 286,501.00 447,745.00

VHT per Person 0.00 18.00 6.00

Vehicle Hours of Delay 156,040.00 113,288.00 269,328.00

Delay per Person (minutes) 16.80 7.20 11.40

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Freight Mobility Assessment

The Sarasota-Manatee MPO’s Mobility 2035 Plan emphasizes the importance of a freight transportation system that will support economic vitality and enhanced participation in the global economy. Transportation facilities that expedite the movement of goods to, within, and from the Sarasota/Manatee region are critical to the long term economic health and growth of the region. These facilities provide access to key economic generators and districts of industrial, commercial and related types of employment.

The Freight Mobility Assessment describes freight’s role in the regional economy and identifies the region’s key freight activity centers (FACs). It examines the number, type, and performance of facilities serving these areas to develop an inventory of freight mobility needs in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Long-term freight mobility needs can include new road, rail, seaport, and aviation facilities; capacity enhancements to existing facilities; and intermodal facilities that expedite the transfer of goods from one mode to another.

Performance of the Freight Transportation System

To identify freight mobility needs, it is necessary to understand how well the existing transportation system is functioning, especially with respect to the service of the FACs described above. An analysis of freight movements on the current transportation system is presented in a map series that identifies major rail, road, aviation, and seaport facilities and the amount of truck traffic served by roadway facilities. This analysis reveals where major freight movements are occurring in the two counties and will aid in identifying needed capacity expansions or new facilities.

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The Strategic Intermodal System

The Florida Department of Transportation established the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) as a statewide network of highways, railroads, waterways, airports, seaports, and spaceports that would be the target of strategic, but substantial, investments to meet the State’s long term mobility, livability, and economic development goals. SIS facilities play a critical role in freight mobility. The SIS facilities in Sarasota and Manatee Counties are displayed in Map 6 below, along with the locations of the FACs.

The SIS facilities in the Sarasota/Manatee region consist of I-75, I-275, Port Manatee and its railroadconnection, and US 41 road connections from the port to I-275, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. In addition, the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is an emerging SIS facility, as is SR 70 east of I-75 through the MPO planning area. University Parkway from the airport entrance road to I-75 is a SIS Connector facility. These facilities are critical not only to the region’s transportation network, but also to the state and national networks.

The map shows that the highest intensity activity centers (Port Manatee and Tropicana) are served by SIS railroads, with the port being itself a SIS seaport connected by a SIS connector road to I-275, a SIS highway. Most of the other FACs are located along non-SIS rail lines. The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is a SIS facility and FAC served by University Parkway. The North Port Park of Commerce and PGT Industries have direct access to I-75, the principal SIS highway spanning Sarasota and Manatee Counties, while the Gulf Coast Corporate Park is situated adjacent to I-275 in Manatee County.

Thus, most of the major activity centers enjoy relatively easy access to high capacity facilities that provide mobility to the surrounding region and other parts of the state. Improvements to SIS facilities are planned through FDOT’s SIS Multimodal Cost Feasible Plan with coordination among the FDOT districts, MPOs, city and county governments, and other partners. Additional needed improvements to SIS facilities are documented in the SIS Unfunded Needs Assessment. While FACs in Manatee and Sarasota Counties are generally well served by the SIS, needed improvements have been identified and are documented in the “Freight Mobility Needs” section of this document.

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Truck Traffic Analysis

FACs are significant producers and attractors of truck traffic. Providing for the efficient movement of trucks delivering raw materials to producers and finished products to markets within and beyond Sarasota and Manatee Counties is important to maintain the area’s economic competiveness and attract new businesses and grow employment. An analysis of which roads are hosting the largest volumes and proportions of truck traffic is provided to guide the development of an inventory of freight mobility needs. Vehicles classified as trucks according to the FDOT classification system include single unit trucks, combination trailer trucks, and multi-trailer trucks (vehicle classes 4-13).

Map 7 shows the average number of daily truck trips on major roads in Manatee and Sarasota Counties in 2008. The map reveals the significance of I-75 to freight mobility within and beyond the bi-county area. Other major freight corridors include I-275, US 41 and US 301, SR 70 and SR 64, and portions of 75th Street and 34th Street in Bradenton and University Parkway and Fruitville Road in Sarasota.

Map 8 displays what percent of total traffic on major roads is truck traffic. Although the major spines of I-75, US 41, and US 301 carry high volumes of truck traffic, trucks comprise a relatively low percentage of total traffic on these facilities. Shorter road segments that link major arterials and provide access to the counties’ FACs show the highest shares of truck traffic. These segments may provide low utility for passenger trips in some instances (such as Piney Point Road serving Port Manatee) or traverse rural areas in making connections to other parts of the state (Wauchula Road and SR 70 in the eastern portions of Manatee County).

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2035 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FINAL REPORT

Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan

Planning Organization

RENAISSANCE PLANNING GROUP

FINAL REPORT

i

Table of Contents

Overview ... 1

Mobility Assessment ... 22

Community Engagement ... 126

Financial Resources ... 132

2035 Transportation Plan ... 150

ii

Appendix ... 210

List of Maps

iii

List of Figures

List of Tables

iv

Overview

About the Sarasota/Manatee MPO

About the Long Range Transportation Plan

LRTP Planning Factors

The Sarasota/Manatee MPO's mission is to develop a future plan,

through cooperation with our member governments and the general

public for a safe, efficient, financially feasible, environmentally

sensitive, regional, integrated multimodal transportation system that

supports sustainable, livable communities and economic development.

LRTP Goals

Statewide Planning Context

Overview of the 2035 Plan Development Process

Anticipated Year 2035 System Capacity

2035 Transportation System Needs

2035 Needs Plan Cost Estimates

Financial Resources

Financially Feasible Plan

Mobility Assessment

SocioEconomic Conditions and Trends

Existing and Projected Transportation System Performance

Freight Mobility Assessment