SARASOTA COUNTY (WSNN) – If you enjoy trekking the Legacy Trail, whether it be on wheels or by foot, we’ve got some good news for you.
You can walk it, bike it or run it. The Legacy Trail in Sarasota County is expanding from the City of North Port through Venice to downtown Sarasota. Segment one of that Extension Project is almost finished.
“I am super excited, super excited,” Sarasota resident, Valerie Sauer said. “The more they finish this trail, the better for me, for all of us.”
Segment one begins at Proctor Road and extends north to Bahia Vista Street. Segment two will go from Culverhouse Nature Center and extend north to Proctor Road. And Segment three begins at Bahia Vista Street and extends to Ringling Boulevard.
“Instead of keep going south, I can now go North,” Sarasota County resident, Gary Bartlett said. “So I’m looking forward to that.”
It’s about accessibility for many who live in Northern Sarasota County.
“When it comes downtown, we won’t have to load our bike anymore in the car, we can just ride right to the trail and go wherever we want to go,” Sauer said.
While segment 1 is opening soon, there is still more construction happening at the other segments. Segments two and three are still closed off to trial users.
“We’re just waiting for the fences to come down and then we’re going to jump on it,” a trail user from Sarasota County, Cheryl Ballou said.
This extension helps keep the hundreds who use the trail safe from motorists.
“The street is not a good place to be or even on the sidewalk.”
“The more rails to trails we have here in Florida, the safer it will be,” Bartlett said.
The nearly 8-mile extension will also include improvements such as crossings, and overpasses at Clark Road and Bee Ridge Road.
“It’s a fun trail, get out there and do it,” a trail user from Sarasota County, Linda Dwyer said.
The Legacy Trail Segment One Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Planned was scheduled for tomorrow, but it has been postponed due to Tropical Storm Elsa. Stay with SNN for updates on its official opening day.