Sarasota and Manatee counties are growing rapidly.
Now, planners and transportation leaders in the region are asking residents for feedback on what transportation infrastructure needs to be prioritized as it creates its 2050 long-term plan.
Nina Venter, a senior transportation planner for the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, says northeast Manatee County alone is projected to have a population similar to Fort Lauderdale's by 2050.
"I think one unique challenge is accommodating that growth while also still addressing the challenges that we're facing today, which are things like congestion, travel time, and then, most importantly, safety,” Venter said.
The Long-Range Transportation Plan is updated every five years. The latest version would be a revision to the 2045 long-range plan.
Venter says the survey seeks input on four main pillars — economic growth, vibrant places, environmental health, and resiliency.
“What I'm seeing [from resident feedback] is sort of having to deal with the growth issue, but doing it in a way that still maintains the safety of the area, and also making it feel like a really nice place to live,” Venter said. “They're all kind of interconnected.”
She also said different methods of transit were top of mind as well.
“We need to make sure that people have options available for travel outside of getting into their car,” Venter said. “So people may still choose to drive. But we want people to be able to have options so you can drive if you want to. But also, if you want to walk to the grocery store, you should be able to, and there should be an efficient bus system to get you there.”
Above all, many transportation leaders in the region and throughout the state are prioritizing transportation safety.
“Roadway safety in our region is dire,” Venter said. “It currently is a public issue, and I think it will continue to be a public issue unless we address it now and build those safety mechanisms into our transportation system over the next 25 years.”
Venter says a few hundred people have already responded to the survey.
The survey will remain open until June 15. Two other surveys are planned for later this year.
The second survey, which is expected later in the summer, will ask about existing conditions of transportation infrastructure. The third will identify transportation projects and figuring out ways to fund them.
She says the feedback is pivotal to forecast the region's needs 25 years down the line.
"What kinds of amenities would I like to have around to be able to truly enjoy the community that I live in?” Venter said. “So that's another way to think about it. In 25 years, regardless of where you are, how would you like to be able to get around?"
Venter says residents seem to favor more transit options, and developing sustainable infrastructure alongside rapid population growth.
And she says every phase will have a public workshop and advisory meeting.
A link to the survey can be found here.
