Sarasota County commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 9 to build the 2.5-mile middle segment of Lorraine Road. The contract, worth up to $21 million, adds four lanes of new roadway east of Interstate 75.

New Route Avoids Interstate for North-South Travel

The road will give drivers a continuous north-south route from Jacaranda Boulevard to north of the Manatee River without using the interstate, Transportation Director Spencer Anderson said at the meeting. Construction must be finished by Dec. 31, 2028.

Commission Chair Ron Cutsinger called the road "desperately needed," the Sun reported.

No north-south road exists east of I-75 south of Clark Road, according to a state funding request filed for a separate segment of the corridor. That request noted the road would improve hurricane evacuation routes and ease congestion near employers such as PGT Window + Doors and Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Four Lanes Chosen to Avoid Future Bottleneck

The $21 million covers the county's share of upgrading the middle segment from two lanes to four. Anderson said building only two lanes would have created a bottleneck between the already-completed first segment and the planned southern segment. Commissioner Teresa Mast praised prior commissioners for their "forward thinking" in not settling for two lanes.

Project Built Through Public-Private Partnership

The middle segment is a public-private partnership with Three Rivers Stewardship District, a special-purpose government covering about 2,700 acres south of State Road 72 and east of I-75. The first segment was built through a similar partnership with Sky Ranch.

Design Includes Trail, Bike Lanes and Drainage

The project will include bike lanes, sidewalks, a multiuse recreational trail on one side, lighting and drainage built to the county's 100-year storm standard. The road is being built in a 150-foot right of way, wider than the county's standard 120 feet.

Part of Larger Seven Connect Road Program

Lorraine Road is one of seven projects in the county's Seven Connect program, initiated in 2026. The program spans more than 66 miles of new roads and nearly $400 million in total investment.

Honore Avenue Widening Raised as Separate Issue

Commissioner Tom Knight also asked about widening Honore Avenue, another north-south road east of I-75. Anderson said widening south of Cowpen Slough is constrained by a former I-75 bridge incorporated when Honore was extended, calling it "a major expense."

The county has not announced a groundbreaking date. Residents can track the project through the county's Seven Connect program page.