A bigger Lakewood Ranch Boulevard opens. It’s an easier way to go from Parrish to Sarasota
The completion of the last 1.7 miles of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard to Fruitville Road cost $16 million and required 14,676 tons of asphalt, 4,400 linear feet of guardrails, and 9,979 yards of concrete.
But those bare statistics scarcely begin to do justice to the long years of planning and perseverance needed to make the completed roadway a reality.
Planning started at least 30 years ago, and required methodical planning and follow-through, working with neighbors, and Sarasota County officials, some of whom were either skeptical or opposed to the plan, Rex Jensen, CEO and president of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, said Monday.
“There were a number of evenings after midnight that I recall being in hearings to keep this road from being taken out of the county’s comprehensive long-range transportation plans. At least three separate occasions,” Jensen, told a crowd Monday who watched the ribbon being cut for the the new roadway.
After equipment is cleared away, about 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, motorists were expected to be able to drive onto Lakewood Ranch Boulevard at Fruitville Road and drive north all the way to Parrish, via the Fort Hamer Bridge, adding a companion north-south corridor to Interstate 75.
“It’s just trying to bring common sense to transportation planning. If you look over that way you’ll see cars on I-75. When they are on this road they won’t be there. This is a very big deal and a long-awaited day,” Jensen said.
Peter Young, executive pastor of nearby Church of Hope, called the road extension the model for other roadways.
“Thank you, especially Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, for a great road. It has been a great journey,” Young said.
Lakewood Ranch Boulevard is actually the second road SMR has extended to Fruitville Road. Lorraine Road was the first in 2017, but Lakewood Ranch Boulevard is the first to complete the link between Parrish and Fruitville.
It is now possible to drive from Parrish along Fort Hamer Road to Upper Manatee River Road and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard all the way to Fruitville Road.
“The opening of this section of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard completes this much needed north-south thoroughfare connecting Manatee and Sarasota counties,” said Betsy Benac, chairwoman of the Manatee County Commission. “It has taken determination, grit and cooperation to get it done.”
Contractor for the project was Woodruff and Sons.
Laura Cole, senior vice president for LWR Communities, the residential and lifestyle arm of Lakewood Ranch, noted that the road extension also provides another connector to its new Waterside development south of University Parkway.
“Waterside is certainly part of our growth story, and true to SMR’s planning history of taking the long view, today we are delivering this important connection as Waterside is taking root, and in advance of our new town center, Waterside Place,” Cole said.
Waterside, eventually projected to have more than 5,000 homes, has recorded 200 home sales, and is now home to the first families living there.
In addition, The Adley by Davis is leasing its 300 apartments in the southwest corner of Waterside.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 2:12 PM.
