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MPO Office Closed for Memorial Day
![](https://publicinput.com/img/iidja5bcmhxw3azi2fyt_1000_1000.PNG)
The Sarasota/Manatee MPO office will be closed on Monday, May 29, 2023, in observance of Memorial Day.
The office will reopen on Tuesday, May 30.
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MPO Board Adopts Recommended Alternatives for the SUN Trail Alignment Studies!
![](https://publicinput.com/img/hz6n7c6dkmcyr5y5efm4_1000_1000.PNG)
UPDATE: SUN TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDIES
The recommended alignment alternatives for the Manatee and Sarasota SUN Trail Alignment Studies were unanimously adopted by the MPO Board on May 22, 2023! In Manatee County, the adopted alignment will connect the Palma Sola Causeway to the Riverwalk in Downtown Bradenton. In Sarasota County, the adopted alignment will connect the Legacy Trail to Nathan Benderson Park and Lakewood Ranch communities.
To view the adopted alignments and learn more about the studies, visit the project page: www.PublicInput.com/SUNTrailStudies
Thank you to everyone who participated in the surveys, public workshops, and project advisory groups!
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PUBLIC SURVEY | LECOM Park and Village of the Arts Mobility Study
![](https://publicinput.com/img/bfzcvyzob9agdwotz7sk_1000_1000.JPG)
The LECOM Park and Village of the Arts Mobility Study seeks to better understand how people move within and through the area, whether they’re walking, riding a bike, driving a car or truck, or riding transit.
WE NEED YOUR INPUT!
This survey will help us understand current and future travel needs and wants in the Study area. Help shape the outcome of the LECOM/VOTA Mobility Study by sharing your experiences, observations, and thoughts in this brief survey.
Click here to take the survey!
Click here to see the community engagement section on the study website!
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FDOT Kickoff Meeting TODAY for Desoto Bridge Replacement PD&E Study
![](https://publicinput.com/img/i6bidytvghmr9aaxr6ys_1000_1000.PNG)
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) invites you to a kickoff meeting for the DeSoto Bridge Replacement Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study from SR 64 (Manatee Ave. E.) to Haben Blvd. in Manatee County.
This kickoff meeting is being held to present information about the study and provide the opportunity for the public to offer feedback.
You can participate in the kickoff meeting live online or in-person. The same materials will be displayed at both the online and in-person events, and will also be posted by May 22, 2023, on the project website.
IN-PERSON OPTION: Attend the kickoff meeting on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd, Palmetto, FL 34221. Visit the meeting any time between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to view the project video and displays, speak with project team members, and submit comments or questions.
LIVE ONLINE OPTION: Attend virtually on Thursday, May 25, 2023, starting at 5:00 p.m. This event will include a viewing of the project information and a live question-and-answer component with the project team. Please review the materials (available on the project webpage by date) before attending the virtual event. Register in advance by visiting https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2199721875706127703 or on the project website. Once registered, attendees will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the kickoff meeting online. Please note, Internet Explorer cannot be used to register or attend this event.
WEBSITE: View all materials online at swflroads.com/project/442630-1.
Comments may be provided through the project website and questions can be answered by calling the FDOT project manager, Steven Andrews at (863) 519-2270.
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Connecting Communities Program in Sarasota and Manatee Counties
![](https://publicinput.com/img/puojty9gxrwrforpwky3_1000_1000.PNG)
The Florida Department of Transportation, District One, is conducting several projects in
partnership with the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and local governments to enhance the multimodal transportation network within Sarasota and Manatee Counties as part of the Connecting Communities Program.
To see what projects are included in the Connecting Communities Program, click here.
Your input is important!
Completing this brief questionnaire provides valuable feedback on community preferences. Your feedback will assist and guide the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) with the development of community-sensitive project solutions for enhancing the transportation network within Sarasota and Manatee counties. This questionnaire is anonymous, and all questions are optional.
Your input will help enhance the Sarasota/Manatee area transportation network for all roadway users (drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists).
Click here to complete this brief, online questionnaire by June 30, 2023.
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FHWA Webinar | AV Readiness: Infrastructure Funding, Timing, Challenges, and Solutions
![](https://publicinput.com/img/htgfjsppjvjld1m7istd_1000_1000.JPG)
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will host a public AV readiness webinar on infrastructure needed for and impacted by the deployment of AVs.
This webinar will cover the following topics:
• Interplay between AV technologies, AV sensors, and infrastructure.
• Return on investment of AV-ready enhanced infrastructure.
• Implications of enhanced infrastructure.
The webinar will feature subject matter experts from Applied Research Associates, Gannett Fleming, and Automated Roads and will conclude with an interactive question and answer session. State DOTs, infrastructure owner-operators, and original equipment manufacturers play specific roles and have a stake in identifying highway infrastructure elements impacted by AV deployment.
Webinar Topic: AV Readiness: Infrastructure Funding, Timing, Challenges, and Solutions
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM (EST)
Click here to register and read more!
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FDOT Resilience Action Plan Public Comment Webinar
![](https://publicinput.com/img/suny9bmoxopydjykxnbq_1000_1000.PNG)
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will post the Resilience Action Plan for the State Highway System on Thursday, May 25, 2023, for public comment.
The link to the document and comment form will be provided when it is available. To learn more about what is included in the plan and how to provide comments, please join them for their Resilience Action Plan Public Comment Webinar on:
Thursday, May 25, 2023 from 9:30-10:30 am (EDT)
Register here!
The draft plan and comment form will be available on the Resilience Action Plan webpage. The public comment period will be open from Thursday, May 25, 2023, through Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 5:00 pm EDT.
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Best Complete Streets Policies 2023 Webinar
![](https://publicinput.com/img/fjuhs8gdnf32keynqfqd_1000_1000.JPG)
Join Smart Growth America for a webinar on May 24, 2023 at 12:30pm ET to hear directly from the advocates and practitioners across the country who helped pass some of the strongest Complete Streets policies of the last four years.
Panelists include:
- Evren Sönmez, Director of Strategic Policy & Practice at Living Streets Alliance (Tucson, Arizona)
- Michael Kelley, Policy Director at BikeWalkKC (Joplin, MO)
- Jerry D. Saavedra, Senior Community Policy Director at the American Heart Association (El Paso, TX)
- Jeff Riegner, Senior Principal Engineer at Kittelson & Associates (& Chair of the National Complete Streets Coalition) (Howard County, MD)
The panel will be moderated by Steve Davis, AVP of Transportation Strategy at Smart Growth America.
Webinar Topic: Best Complete Streets Policies 2023
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Time: 12:30 PM (ET)
Register here!
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FTA Webinar: Tools for Implementing a Comprehensive Safety Training Program
![](https://publicinput.com/img/sz3lfjtr2t5kwemck18u_1000_1000.JPG)
This webinar will provide participants with ways their agency can meet the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) requirement for implementing a comprehensive safety training program. Transit leaders will share their agencies' experiences and lessons learned. Audience members are invited to join the conversation by suggesting questions for the panel during webinar registration, and during the live Q&A portion of the webinar.
Webinar Topic: Tools for Implementing a Comprehensive Safety Training Program
Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM (EST)
Register here!
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The 2023 Click it or Ticket Campaign!
![](https://publicinput.com/img/r4fqruqgcq3bb3xbnjrk_1000_1000.JPG)
One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. One in 10 Americans still don’t wear their seat belt when they get in their vehicle and we need to remind them of what this choice can mean: a seat belt citation or even injury and death. Forty-seven percent of vehicle fatalities were those not wearing their seat belt. The goal of the 2023 CIOT campaign period is to get drivers to wear their seat belt on every trip.
The 2023 CIOT campaign period runs from Monday, May 8, through Sunday, June 15.
Buckling up only takes a few seconds and could save you from breaking your neck and breaking your family’s heart. #ClickItOrTicket
#NHTSA
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program
![](https://publicinput.com/img/i5pxjdmxpar9ceeabvo3_1000_1000.JPG)
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program:
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) is a new competitive grant program created by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work, urban and rural areas alike, in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). CFI Program investments will make modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. This program provides two funding categories of grants: (1) Community Charging and Fueling Grants (Community Program); and (2) Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program). The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $2.5 billion over five years for this program. This first round of funding makes $700 million from Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 funding available to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other fueling infrastructure projects in urban and rural communities in publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Current Closing Date for Applications: June 13, 2023
To learn more and apply, click here.
USDOT FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All | Notice of Funding Opportunity
![](https://publicinput.com/img/zpuvm3hgxzw7ufzjppcg_1000_1000.JPG)
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
The SS4A program supports Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and the Department’s goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways.
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity is to solicit applications for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants. Funds for the fiscal year 2023 SS4A grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.
The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m. (EDT) Monday, July 10, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
For more details, click here!
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Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program
![](https://publicinput.com/img/qapwqtjs8qe86ybiuigo_1000_1000.JPG)
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program:
The vision of the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program is to fund projects that address the climate crisis by improving the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Projects selected under this program should be grounded in the best available scientific understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities. They should support the continued operation or rapid recovery of crucial local, regional, or national surface transportation facilities. Furthermore, selected projects should utilize innovative and collaborative approaches to risk reduction, including the use of natural infrastructure, which is explicitly eligible under the program. Also called nature-based solutions, these strategies include conservation, restoration, or construction of riparian and streambed treatments, marshes, wetlands, native vegetation, stormwater bioswales, breakwaters, reefs, dunes, and shade trees. They reduce flood risks, erosion, wave damage, and heat impacts while also creating habitat, filtering pollutants, and providing recreational benefits. Projects in the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program have the potential to demonstrate innovation and best practices that State and local governments in other parts of the country can consider replicating.
Current Closing Date for Applications: August 18, 2023
To learn more and apply, click here.
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Safe Routes to School Summit 2023
![](https://publicinput.com/img/hmjaypr6irwhmoo1ahmb_1000_1000.JPG)
This three-day virtual summit will be filled with presentations and networking opportunities for Safe Routes practitioners, partners, and champions. Early Bird registration is open and continues until September 15, allowing you to expend funding from this fiscal year's budget or utilize any available grant funding. Detailed ticket information is below.
Ticket Prices:
- Early Bird - $99.00 (sale ends Sept. 15)
- Regular Rate - $125.00 (begins Sept. 16)
- Community Rate - $25.00 (parent volunteer? community member? Safe Routes to School not your part or full-time job? Please join us at this deeply discounted "community rate."
To register multiple participants or to pay via invoice or check, please complete this registration form and they will follow up with you: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DDKD5RW.
Click here for more information!
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Traffic Watch for Manatee and Sarasota Counties
![b2ap3 large Traffic Watch](https://www.mympo.org/images/banners/b2ap3_large_Traffic-Watch.png)
FOR WEEK OF May 21, 2023
Motorists are reminded to wear safety belts and drive with caution, courtesy, common sense, and patience as they travel through work zones. Remember, speeding fines are doubled in work zones.
As a reminder, travelers can visit www.FL511.com or dial “511” from their phone to learn about traffic conditions on major roadways across the state. If you know before you go, you can plan accordingly and save time and money.
Read More
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ICYMI ::Transform 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan
![LRTP Video](https://publicinput.com/img/rijufsultef79fkmouyy_1000_1000.PNG)
On October 26, 2020, the MPO Board adopted the Transform 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. It is with great pleasure to present a short video montage of the efforts taken over the past two years by elected officials, technical professionals, and most importantly, the public. Enjoy!
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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
- City of Palmetto is hiring:
- Town of Longboat Key is hiring:
- Planning Manager - Planning, Zoning & Building Department (Learn More)
- City of Bradenton is hiring:
- City of North Port is hiring:
- Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) is hiring:
- Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) is hiring:
- Sarasota County Planning & Development Services is hiring:
- Sarasota County Public Works is hiring:
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Check on the status of meetings & events.
Find the details to participate in MPO virtual meetings!
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