Sarasota Livin'

This could be a great process... lets just make sure the neighborhoods along the North Trail have lots of opportunity to participate ... they live there the consultants don't...

SHT article by Dale White on the progress of Innovation41 ...

A roundabout at University Parkway, a flourishing commercial hub at Myrtle Street and conversions of seedy motels into more neighborhood-friendly uses are a few of the ideas surfacing from an ongoing study about how to revitalize North Tamiami Trail.
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The roundabout and other ideas came out of several February forums in which Voss & Associates from Sarasota and the Renaissance Planning Group from Tampa gathered ideas for improving the look and safety of U.S. 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail.

The consultants have honed those ideas for a presentation for the study's sponsors next week.

"It's up to them" what goes into the draft of the Innovation41 plan, Voss said. "They have to be comfortable with it. If it's all pretty cut and dry, the draft could be ready in about a week."

Sarasota County, Manatee County, the city of Sarasota, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, New College of Florida, the Ringling School of Art and Design, and the Florida State University Ringling Center for the Cultural Arts all chipped in for the $160,000 study.

They want to see improvements along a 5.5-mile stretch of the historic highway between Bowlees Creek in Manatee County and Sarasota's 10th Street.

They want to emphasize the Trail's importance as a gateway into both counties and as a cultural and educational district.

A final plan is expected in June. If the partners consider it acceptable, they still will have to pursue funding to make it happen.