I-75 at Bee Ridge Road (SR 758)

Download the Final Study (PDF, 100.9MB)

Executive Summary

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) conducted a Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) Study to evaluate improvement alternatives along Interstate 75 (I-75) from south of State Route (SR) 681 to north of University Parkway in Sarasota County, Florida. Due to changes in projected traffic volumes since the approval of the I-75 PD&E Study in July, 2009, FDOT undertook a reexamination of the PD&E Preferred Alternative for the I-75/SR 758 (Bee Ridge Road) interchange in 2015 to determine the adequacy of the concept to accommodate future traffic demand.

A new concept was developed that is projected to better accommodate future traffic volumes and provide enhanced operations when compared to the I-75 PD&E Study’s Preferred Alternative. This new concept is a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) variant with a partial Continuous-Flow Intersection (CFI) at Bee Ridge Road/Cattlemen Road. This concept included a new ramp connection at Wilkinson Road (Ramp E) that provides access from southbound I-75 to Cattlemen Road. The Interchange Modification Report (IMR) for the new I-75/Bee Ridge Road interchange concept was submitted in November 2015 and approved by FHWA on December 9, 2015.

After the I-75/Bee Ridge Road final IMR was approved, it was determined that the Ramp E terminus at the intersection of Cattlemen Road/Wilkinson Road needed to be relocated due to a newly approved development, known as the Springs at Bee Ridge, being built adjacent to the ramp location. Primary access to the development is via an extension of Wilkinson Road that creates an east leg at the existing signalized intersection. This Addendum to the I-75/Bee Ridge Road IMR documents the traffic impacts associated with the Ramp E relocation. The ramp is being relocated about 450 feet north of Wilkinson Road along Cattlemen Road and will create a new tee intersection. The new ramp intersection’s signal will be closely coordinated with the Cattlemen Road/Wilkinson Road intersection to ensure that vehicle progression is maintained. This new ramp intersection is projected to operate at an acceptable level through the design year (2040).

Purpose and Need

Download the Purpose and Need (PDF, 26.8KB)

I-75, a north/south facility, is an integral part of the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) providing for high-speed, high-volume traffic movements within the State. I-75 improvements are needed to provide relief from existing and projected traffic congestion and to improve safety. I-75 also serves as a hurricane evacuation route.

Therefore, there is a need for I-75 to operate at an acceptable Level of Service (LOS) at all times to ensure that a viable escape route is provided to local residents in the event of an emergency. Improvements to this facility will also increase regional connectivity and enhance freight mobility and goods movement. The purpose of this project is to relieve existing and future operational and safety deficiencies along the I-75 corridor. The proposed I-75 mainline and I-75/Bee Ridge Road interchange modification improvements provide additional capacity along the interstate system as well as the surrounding arterials and local roads.

The I-75/Bee Ridge Road interchange needs to be modified to accommodate the I-75 ten-lane Ultimate cross section and future traffic volumes. It needs to be reconfigured to address delay and queuing deficiencies associated with the future traffic volume projections, close proximity of the Bee Ridge Road/Cattlemen Road intersection to the I-75/Bee Ridge Road interchange, and lane utilization issues caused by the partial clover leaf interchange due to the northbound I-75 loop on ramp.

Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION