BOCC Requesting Expedited Funds for LWR Traffic

BRADENTON -- At Tuesday's Manatee County Commission meeting, members will follow-up on their request to the Metropolitan Planning Organization to expedite funding for the proposed Double Diamond lane formulation of University Parkway and I-75. However, the laundry list continues to grow into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Added to the list, is a bridge over I-75, at the southern border of Nathan Benderson Park and Schroeder Manatee-Ranch, an extension of Lakewood Ranch Blvd; the construction of Lorraine Road between University Parkway and Fruitville Road; and other connector improvement in and around Lakewood Ranch.

Estimated cost for the request could be upward of $400 million and the time frame in which commissioners hope to have them completed is spring of 2017, just in time for the International Rowing Championships.

Sarasota County will also share in the costs. University Parkway divides Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

The Manatee BOCC Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 25, at 9 a.m. at the County Administration building, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton.