It’s official: A roundabout is coming to this Manatee County intersection.

Motorists driving on State Road 64 at Rye Road soon will have to navigate a roundabout.

Both a roundabout and a traffic signal were being considered for the East Manatee intersection, but the Florida Department of Transportation announced Friday that the roundabout alternative was selected.

“Based on the results of the analyses of potential effects to the social, cultural, natural and physical environment, projected project costs and benefits and public comments gathered throughout the study, FDOT reached a decision on the type of improvements necessary to accommodate future traffic demands at the S.R. 64 and Rye Road intersection,” the FDOT release states.

A multilane roundabout and sidewalks will replace the existing intersection, according to the release.

“The modern roundabout alternative will now advance into the design phase and subsequently construction,” the release states.

With design and right-of-way acquisition funding programmed in FDOT’s current fiscal year, construction funding is programmed in fiscal year 2017-18, according to the release.

Weather permitting, construction should take approximately 18 months, according to the release.

FDOT has previously said that revenue from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will fund the roundabout’s construction.

Accoding to state law, FDOT may request the Division of Bond Finance to issue bonds secured by toll revenues collected on certain roadways or bridges, which includes the Skyway, to “fund transportation projects located within the county or counties in which the project is located and contained in the adopted work program of the department.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 10:21 AM with the headline "It’s official: A roundabout is coming to this Manatee County intersection.."