Residents split over I-75 overpass near Mall at UTC, Benderson Park

UNIVERSITY PARK -- Marjorie Bozer loves the fact she can walk out the back of her home of 22 years in The Meadows to take advantage of Nathan Benderson Park.

With a proposed Interstate 75 overpass, Bozer said her quality of life is not being considered.

"You are completely imprisoning us from what we enjoy," Bozer said Thursday during a Sarasota County neighborhood workshop at the Church of Hope, 1560 Wendell Kent Road, Sarasota. "For the road to come in, it is definitely inhibiting our quality of life. I'm begging that you consider our quality of life. It definitely changes a great deal for residents there."

Bozer was one of many people who voiced opinions on the proposed I-75 overpass designed as an east-west connector road. The overpass is being proposed between Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and North Cattleman Road, with a second phase of the roadway extension to Honore Avenue. The improvement would provide a new route to The Mall at University Town Center and Nathan Benderson Park and serve as an alternative to University Parkway.

The overpass roadway is proposed to be built near the southern end of Nathan Benderson Park although the road could also be built on the northern side of the lake, which Len Smally, manager of The Meadows Community Association, said he favors.

"Both options deserve full consideration," Smally said. "One important reason to use the northern option is the new fire service near UTC mall that could serve both Lakewood Ranch and Desoto Road when connected. ... Traffic in this area is a big issue for everybody. Traffic studies should be completed for both options."

John Yoder said he supports the overpass being built on the southern end of the lake.

"We recognize that's a good location," he said. "Easy bypass for folks in Lakewood Ranch to get south of town."

The workshop was the first step in the Comprehensive Plan amendment process to add the I-75 overpass to the county Future Thoroughfare Plan. The overpass discussion now goes to a Sarasota County Planning Commission public hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, according to county planner Steve Kirk. Then, the proposal will go before the county commission in two public hearings.

There is no overpass design yet, said Paula Wiggins, Sarasota County transportation planning manager. The county needs the overpass on the Comprehensive Plan to seek state and federal funding, Wiggins said.

"We are also looking for the future and not just for right now traffic," Wiggins said. "It at least gives us the opportunity to put down the plans so we can seek funding in the future. At some point in time, there is going to be a need to have that connection. There is going to be a need for additional roadway network to be constructed."

The overpass would relieve traffic along University Parkway with all the future development planned out east, Wiggins said.

"We have a lot of development that's coming along and we want to make sure we have a gridded network so people can get around Sarasota County," she said. "We really don't have that gridded network to the east as we have on the west side. Sarasota is growing and one of the things that we have to look at with this growth is the roadway network and how to improve it."

Claire Aronson, University Parkway/Sarasota reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024 or at caronson@bradenton.com. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published January 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Residents split over I-75 overpass near Mall at UTC, Benderson Park."