The Florida Department of Transportation has begun an improvement project on the John Ringling Causeway, Sarasota’s connector to the barrier islands, which will bring lane closures and a reduced speed limit.
The $12.3 million project on the causeway, also known as the Ringling bridge, is expected to be completed in “early 2027” and includes:
- An extension of the causeway’s bus lanes.
- Additional bicycle lanes and signals.
- New traffic signals at the intersection of Bird Key Drive, Golden Gate Drive, and Sunset Drive.
- A raised seawall cap near Sunset Drive.
- Roadway resurfacing
Other project activities include resurfacing the roadway throughout the project corridor, installing at the intersections of Sunset Drive and Golden Gate Drive, and extending the causeway’s bus lanes, adding bicycle lanes and signals, and raising the seawall cap.
Some lanes will be closed overnight from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. during construction. Officials will also reduce the speed limit on the causeway and on Gulfstream Avenue to 35 mph…