SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the opening of the first and second segments of The Legacy Trail Extension Thursday morning in Sarasota County.
People, including bikers, walkers and joggers gathered at the Proctor Road and McIntosh Road intersection to watch the ceremony.
This opening of the segments now means The Legacy Trail extends north to Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota.
Voters in Sarasota County approved a referendum on Nov. 6, 2018, to obtain more railroad corridors and extend the trail north, the release reports. The project is now three years ahead of the initial schedule with the third segment planned to open in 2022.
The Sarasota County website says the next steps include the following:
- Create nearly 30 miles of non-stop non-motorized paved multi-use trail, which could possibly be a regional connection between Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties.
- Provide access to local neighborhoods and place 48 schools within two linear miles of the Legacy Trail.
- Enhance connectivity from the City of North Port through Venice to downtown Sarasota.
The Legacy Trail first opened in 2008, providing over 10 miles of recreational pathway spanning from the Venice Train Depot to Culverhouse Nature Park, the Sarasota County Government explained in a news release.
When the extension is complete, the trail will have over 30 miles of continuous recreational path, according to the release.
You can learn more information about the project here.