Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joined state and local officials on Friday to celebrate the completion of the $61 million River Road (State Road 777) widening project in Sarasota County. The ribbon-cutting marked the end of a major effort: five miles of River Road, stretching from US 41 to I-75, now offers six lanes instead of just two. Traffic across this busy corridor can finally breathe, roadway capacity has tripled, which means less congestion for everyone who lives, works, or vacations in Southwest Florida.
“This is a $61 million investment between the state and Sarasota County,” said Governor DeSantis at the event. “We expanded a five-mile stretch from two lanes to six. Pedestrian and bike paths got upgrades, crosswalks are better, lighting is brighter—it’s just safer all around, both for drivers and for people walking or cycling. We didn’t forget about wildlife either. We added two new underpasses to reduce animal collisions, something that’s already shown great results elsewhere in Florida.”
River Road has been a top transportation priority in the region for years. Getting to this point took real teamwork: FDOT, Sarasota County, the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, and other regional partners all helped steer the project to completion.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman put the impact into perspective, especially when he talked about hurricane evacuations. “After Hurricane Ian, we saw just how critical River Road is. The Myakka River flooded like never before, and River Road was the final way out before the bridge. We needed a detour, and this project turns River Road into a true evacuation route. If we ever face another major hurricane—and I hope we don’t—we’re now ready.”
Originally, plans called for expanding River Road to four lanes, but FDOT pushed for more, increasing the capacity to six lanes along the entire five-mile stretch. That means more relief for the surrounding community and a safer, smoother drive for everyone who depends on this vital road.
