Demographics
The proposed alignment of the Legacy Trail northward extension to the SRQ airport runs through the neighborhoods highlighted on the left, along with demographics and median income and home value.
Park East Neighborhood
1. Bridge over Fruitville Rd.
Presently the Legacy Trail comes to an abrupt dead-end on the sidewalk on the south side of Fruitville Rd., making the northernmost 200 feet of the trail – from Fruitville Rd. south to Ringling Blvd. – inaccessible and useless. Due to high prevailing speeds on Fruitville Rd., a bicycle bridge would allow users to safely cross to the north side of Fruitville Rd. and beyond through the neighborhoods and on to SRQ airport.
The Legacy Trail presently terminates at the Fruitville Rd. sidewalk (right side of image). The other (north) side is presently railroad right-of-way this SRQ Legacy Trail extension proposal recommends should be acquired.
2. 6th St.
6th St. entrance
3. 8th St.
8th St. entrance
4. 10th St.
10th St. Entrance
Gillespie Park Neighborhood
5. Bridge over Washington Ave.
A bridge over Washington Ave. is desperately needed, as presently the west side of Washington Ave. is cut off from the east side. There are no traffic signals north of Fruitville Rd. and south of 10th St. that bicycles may use to cross Washington Ave., and traveling along 10th St. is too dangerous for bicycles given its high volume and extremely narrow width.
That means there is presently no practical way for bicycles west of Washington Ave. to get to the east side (or vice versa) for the 2/3 mile north of Fruitville Rd. and south of 12th St. While that may not sound like much for a long distance trip, these are urban neighborhoods that depend upon connectivity and short trips.
In this manner, the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension would serve short trips, long trips, and trips to the airport.
Due to the proximity of the proposed route along the railroad right-of-way to 10th St., where there is a traffic signal, a HAWK crossing would be too close, creating confusion and danger; thus, a bridge is needed to cross Washington Ave.
Location of bridge over Washington Ave.
The busy intersection of 10th St. and Washington Ave. (bottom of image) is too close to the railroad right-of-way for an at-grade crossing such as HAWK. Thus a bridge is needed, and it will finally connect the neighborhoods and commerce on the west side of Washington Ave. with those on the east side.
6. Gillespie Ave. (access to the park of Gillespie Park)
The Legacy Trail already serves Payne Park in downtown Sarasota, as well as numerous other parks farther south along its long route. By following the railroad tracks, the SRQ Legacy Trail extension would add the park of Gillespie Park to its repertoire, facilitating park-to-park bicycle recreation.
Gillespie Park would be a good place for a bicycle repair station, like the ones at other parks along Legacy Trail.
Location of Gillespie Ave. entrance
Gillespie Ave. entrance
7. North Orange Ave. (access to Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe)
Two buildings down from where the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension crosses N. Orange Ave. is the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, founded in 1999.
Location of N. Orange Ave. entrance
N. Orange Ave. entrance.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe campus is on the right.
Central Cocoanut Neighborhood
8. 15th St.
Due to its proximity to Sarasota Bay and the bayfront parks on 14th St., 10th St., and 6th St., the Central Cocoanut neighborhood enjoys median home values higher than its neighbors to the north. However, due to a lack of zoning a century ago at the founding of the neighborhood, a strip of heavy industry on its eastern border both separates it from access to points east and makes it treacherous for bicycles to mix with heavy dump trucks and cement trucks.
The proposed 15th St. entrance to the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension would allow bicycles – whether originating from Central Cocoanut itself or from Newtown to the north – to completely avoid Central Ave. and the heavy industry zone.
A bicyclist can be seen on the west side. Bicyclists are frequent on Central Ave. as Newtown residents utilize it to reach downtown. Heavy trucks are also frequent on Central Ave. – coming from Cemex just north of 10th St. and from U.S. Recycling near 14th St. It is a dangerous mix. Having the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension would bring out additional bicyclists who are presently too uncomfortable to ride in this present dangerous situation.
Location of 15th St. entrance
15th St. entrance
Newtown Neighborhood
9. 19th St.
Besides being an historically black neighborhood, Newtown also recently added brand new affordable housing for seniors at 20th St. and N. Orange Ave., just two blocks from the proposed 19th St. entrance to the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension.
Many seniors living there do not have automobile transportation and could make ready use of the SRQ Legacy Trail extension for recreation, exercise, and transportation.
Amaryllis Park Place introduced 84 units of affordable senior housing to 20th St. and N. Orange Ave. in February, 2022. It is two blocks from the recommended 19th St. entrance to the proposed SRQ Legacy Trail extension.
Location of 19th St. entrance
19th St. entrance
The route south from this intersection (headed to the right side of the image) would allow bicyclists to duck behind the heavy industry and avoid truck traffic along Central Ave.
10. 21st St.
21st St. entrance
Another potential entrance in the heart of Newtown – and being a dead-end for automobile traffic, a safe one.
11. Dr. Martin Luther King Way (access to central Newtown)
Dr. Martin Luther King Way entrance
12. 32nd St. (access to Booker High School)
The Booker High School campus, which is 73% minority enrollment, would have its own entrance to the SRQ Legacy Trail extension.
Location of 32nd St. entrance
32nd St. entrance.
Booker High School athletic field is on the right.
13. Myrtle St.
Myrtle St. entrance.
The new (2022) streetscaping is visible in the background.
Bayou Oaks Neighorhood
14. 44th St.
44th St. Entrance
15. University Pkwy. plus Desoto Rd.
Although a bridge that crosses over both University Pkwy. and Desoto Rd. together would add safety and convenience – as there are a total of three automobile carriageways (roadways) to cross – alternatives such as HAWK may prove sufficient.
University Pkwy entrance
SRQ Airport
Bicycle lockers at trail terminus adjacent to SRQ Airport terminal