Pat Neal will be presenting a proposed plan for widening Laurel Road this week to the City of Venice

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

 

Presentation by the Economic Stimulus Working Group

 

To read the actual PDF presentation, which has the pictures and other information, click here.

 

Widening of Laurel Road from two to four lanes between Knights Trail Road and Jacaranda Boulevard – About 1.5 miles

 

Since January, monthly update meetings have been held with our engineering group and staff from the City of Venice, Sarasota County, Sarasota Fire Department, and Peace River Manasota.

  • Much has changed!!!
  • The prices and costs have gone up since we initially proposed this in April 2016
  • Under a PPP, the elected officials decide, unlike the staff or consulting engineer
  • Need to narrow down to the choices
  • This meeting is intended to discuss outstanding items to confirm scope (so that we can estimate a budget in order to go forth with engineering September 1)

 

EXISTING PAVEMENT AND BASE

  • Example showing midway between “bare minimum” and “developer” landscaping
  • There will be landscaping and irrigation, primarily at the noses
  • Will be designing landscaping around watermains
  • Bahia and street trees in the clustered medians per the landscape plan
  • Discussion of irrigation, Sarasota County policy and solutions
  • We recommend grass in median and rotor heads (but we will need a maintenance entity)
  • In order to have County maintenance, we have to use the County energy efficient modified cobra head

 

INITIATE EMINENT DOMAIN

  • Proposing private lawyers to expedite process
  • Fort Hamer Road Ext example
  • Manatee County now uses Gray Robinson, an Orlando-based law firm
  • This is very important if we wish to build the road “in our lifetimes”
  • Request to initiate eminent domain (condemnation) on 2 parcels

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF A SHOVEL-READY PROJECT

 

  • The Florida Legislature appropriate.
  • $2,500,000,000 of local projects
  • A new record for the Florida Legislature
  • Discussion of State Grant and the Florida Infrastructure Bank
  • Federal Stimulus Funding Available for Infrastructure Projects
  • And the residuals from the “American Rescue Act” (grants good through 12/31/2024)

 

The goal today is to provide an update on Laurel Road and to move forward your approval of these items:

  • Lighting plan
  • Landscaping and irrigation
  • Intersection improvements at Jacaranda and Laurel
  • Approval of our right-of-way acquisition strategy
  • Linear public park and potential park options

 

IN CONCLUSION

We have a rare opportunity to build this Highway for less than the budgeted cost

 

A D E C I S I O N   I S   N E E D E D   

  • Particularly with the 2 Stimulus Programs in operation
  • And the opportunities available for the right-of-way, but only for a limited time
  • In discussion since April 2016

 

Please allow us to go forward to budget preparation and the initial steps private eminent domain

 

Budget proposal will be made September 2021