FPID: 444440-1

Project Description

The Florida Department of Transportation is preparing design plans to manage access and improve safety on U.S. Business 41 at the 23rd Street West and the 26th Street West intersections in Palmetto, Manatee County. Temporary medians will be installed at both intersections until permanent improvements (a roundabout at the 23rd Street West intersection and a raised median at the 26th Street West intersection) are constructed.

Background: U.S. Business 41 in Palmetto is a four-lane divided highway. In 2018 the Palmetto Police Department alerted the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to a safety concern at the intersection of U.S. Business 41 and 23rd Street West. A subsequent safety study on that intersection confirmed it is a high-crash location. FDOT determined a roundabout at this location will help resolve safety issues. The City of Palmetto is partnering with FDOT to fund a roundabout in the future. Temporary curbing in the roadway median will serve as an interim improvement until the roundabout is installed.

The intersection of U.S. Business 41 and 26th Street West has also been identified as a safety concern. Temporary curbing in the roadway median will serve as an interim improvement until a permanent, raised median is installed.

As part of the project, U.S. Business 41 will be resurfaced from 17th Street West to approximately 700 feet north of 26th Street West.

Intersection at 23rd Street West

Current conditions: 23rd Street West ends in a T-intersection with U.S. Business 41. Traffic entering U.S. Business 41 is controlled by a one-way stop sign. A two-way turn lane accommodates vehicles turning west onto 23rd Street West or turning north onto U.S. Business 41/Valencia Drive.

Design conditions: The design proposes a directional turn-lane median opening.

• Access will remain for vehicles turning right (south) from 23rd Street West onto U.S. Business 41, and for vehicles turning right or left (west) from U.S. Business 41 onto 23rd Street West.
• Access will be closed to drivers wishing to turn left (north) from 23rd Street West onto U.S. Business 41; those drivers may utilize alternate routes on the local roadway network to access northbound U.S. Business 41.

Intersection at 26th Street West:

Current conditions: Traffic turning left (north) from 26th Street West or turning left (south) from Bayshore Road, onto U.S. Business 41, is controlled by a signal. Traffic turning right (south) from 26th Street West or right (north) from Bayshore Road, onto U.S. Business 41, is accommodated by a dedicated right turn lane. Traffic turning left or right from U.S. Business 41 is controlled by a signal.

Design conditions: The design proposes to replace the signal with directional turn-lane median openings.

• The left-turn openings will provide vehicles traveling on U.S. Business 41, access to 26th Street West and to Bayshore Road.
• The intersection will limit eastbound vehicles on 26th Street West and westbound vehicles on Bayshore Road to right turns only; drivers wishing to turn left or travel through from 26th Street West or Bayshore Road will be required to turn right and make a U-turn at the next median opening.