The Project Proceeds to the

Next Phase of Development

On October 24, 2006, the Federal Highway Administration granted Location and Design Concept Acceptance for the above referenced project. The approved typical sections consist of eight 12-foot travel lanes (four in each direction), 10-foot paved shoulders, and a median with a minimum width of 64 feet. The 64-foot median width will be needed to accommodate future multimodal alternatives. Runoff from the new and existing pavement will be collected in swales and treated in stormwater retention ponds.

The approved alternative will be constructed in two phases. The first phase will widen I-75 from four to six lanes by constructing one lane in each direction in the median. The second phase will widen I-75 to eight lanes by adding one lane in each direction to either the outside or inside, depending on the space available in the median.

These recommended improvements are the result of an extensive study process that included a public involvement program, interagency coordination, environmental studies and engineering analysis. Over the course of the Project Development and Environment Study, from October 2004 through May 2006, different alternatives were evaluated. The approved alternative was selected for its ability to effectively address the needs of the corridor by providing additional capacity to meet the projected increase in traffic over the next 25 years, improving safety on I-75, and helping to meet the social and economic demands of the area. These improvements are consistent with the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plans of the Charlotte County-Punta Gorda and Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

The project will now proceed to the next phase of development, the preparation of construction plans for the widening of I-75 from four to six lanes. This phase is currently scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2009/2010. The right-of-way acquisition and construction phases are not scheduled in the Florida Department of Transportation's Adopted Five-Year Work Program. For more information about the proposed project, please contact the FDOT project manager, Scott McCall, at (863) 519-2990.