To guide the next 30 years of transportation and mobility planning, you're encouraged to participate in a survey on how you get around the city, mobility challenges you may face, and what improvements you’d like to see.

Input will help steer the City’s efforts to update the Transportation Chapter of the Sarasota City Plan, ensuring that policies and priorities continue to reflect the needs and values of our community.

The Transportation Chapter Update will be shaped by community input and Sarasota in Motion, the City’s accepted transportation master plan. 

Click here to take the survey. It will be open until Aug. 10. Paper surveys  also are available at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, Selby Public Library, Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex and City Hall.

In addition to the survey, public meetings soon will be announced where you can learn about the proposed Transportation Chapter update and share feedback.

A webpage dedicated to this important initiative also is available: https://engage.sarasotafl.gov/transportationchapter

Senior Transportation Planner Corinne Arriaga recently was named a Young Leader to Follow by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)!

This recognition honors individuals nationwide under the age of 35 who are changemakers in the field of transportation planning and show promise as future industry leaders. Corinne is among 19 other honorees who comprise the Class of 2025.

Corinne, who has been with the City of Sarasota for almost four years, has been a key figure in many of the City’s planning projects, including the acquisition of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) grant to help fund the 10^th Street and Boulevard of the Arts Complete Streets project.

She describes the accolade as full circle as it marks her professional journey from research assistant to project manager leading transformative developments that prioritize safety, equity and accessibility for the City and its residents and visitors.

Brava, Corinne! We appreciate your dedication and passion for transportation. 

The City’s award-winning Smart City Initiative has been recognized once again!

The initiative is focused on forward-thinking efforts to create a more data-driven, resilient and safe city for all.  Technology is being incorporated into traffic calming, bicycle and pedestrian safety, beach condition reporting, red tide monitoring and free Wi-Fi in City parks.  

Thanks to this progressive approach by our Engineering and Information Technology teams, the City's Smart City Initiative received the 2024–2025 Local/State Agency Collaboration Project of the Year Award from the Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents. City Engineer Nikesh Patel accepted the award on behalf of the City. In April, the initiative also was honored by Smart Cities Connect with a Smart 20 Award. Congratulations to all involved!

Want to learn more about the Smart City Initiative? Click here.

By the end of the year, renourishment of Lido Beach is expected to be underway! 

This project is part the City’s long-term agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address erosion and restore Lido Beach approximately every five years. The last renourishment, and the first under the current agreement, occurred in 2021.

Just over one mile of beach stretching from North Lido to South Lido Beach will be renourished with sand sourced from the dredging of New Pass. Approximately 200,000-300,000 cubic yards of sand  --- or the equivalent of 17,000-30,000 truckloads -- will be deposited on Lido. In the most severely eroded areas, up to 100 feet of beach will be restored to help protect infrastructure, properties and wildlife habitats.

City staff is coordinating with Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Audubon Society to reduce environmental and wildlife impacts, including starting the project after shorebird and sea turtle nesting seasons conclude at the end of October.

The beach will remain open to the public although some areas may be temporarily inaccessible.

Following the renourishment, a new vegetative dune system will be installed to further fortify the beach and provide additional resiliency with storm impacts. This dune system will be constructed between late 2026 and early 2027.

The $12 million project is being federally funded. We appreciate U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Greg Steube for their advocacy in ensuring Lido Beach remains a top priority for federal shoreline investments.

The Sarasota Police Department will host its annual Citizens Academy beginning Aug. 6.

This free, 8-week program will meet on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. and offer residents an in-depth look at the operations of the police department.

Each session will focus on a different unit --from Patrol to Crime Scene Investigations and everything in between -- providing participants with a clear understanding of how SPD works to keep our community safe.

The academy is open to everyone, not just City residents, and is designed to be interactive rather than purely instructional. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions, learn about the technology used in modern policing, and engage directly with department personnel. Attendees also can choose to take part in a police ride-along to experience law enforcement work firsthand.

Space for the program is limited. Those interested are encouraged to register early to secure a spot in this behind-the-scenes look at the SPD. An application is available on the SPD website.

For more information contact Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Kenner at michelle.kenner@sarasotafl.gov or call 941-263-6020.

Our Robert L. Taylor Community Complex proudly welcomes The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe for a free “Showtime at the Rec” matinee performance for the community on Saturday, July 26 at 1 p.m. 

The show will feature WBTT’s upcoming musical Alice in Boogie Wonderland plus an exclusive preview of their 2025-26 season!  Admission is free -- but seating is limited, so reservations are encouraged.  

Secure your tickets now! Call 941-263-6562 or visit the reception desk at RLTCC or email ParksandRec@sarasotafl.gov

Hope you'll join us for a dazzling afternoon of music and entertainment!