SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — The Florida Department of Transportation District 1 (FDOT D1) has selected the design-build team of Stantec and The de Moya Group to widen River Road from north of US 41 to south of I-75 in the West Villages district of Sarasota County, Florida. With a construction cost of $47.5 million, the project will transform a five-mile stretch of road to improve traffic flow and safety for motorists and pedestrians alike. Stantec will serve as the lead design firm while The de Moya Group will execute construction.

River Road acts as a vital link for communities and businesses in Southwest Florida. In the last 20 years, thousands of homes have been built in the area with 25,000 more planned in the future, making the West Villages one of the top 10 fastest growing communities in the U.S. The project will increase roadway capacity to meet daily needs and enhance the hurricane evacuation route for three counties.

The River Road improvements will include widening the two-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided curbed road from north of US 41 to north of Center Road and to a four-lane divided curved road from north Center Road to south of I-75. The project also includes the design of shared paths, sidewalks, wildlife crossings, signals, signage, an intelligent transportation system, and a landscape opportunity plan. Stantec will also conduct a NEPA reevaluation of the roadway to confirm previous environmental decisions related to the project remain valid, as outlined under the National Environmental Policy Act.

“As Sarasota County continues to grow rapidly, so too must its transportation infrastructure,” said Juan Restrepo, PE, Florida Transportation Practice Leader at Stantec. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with The de Moya Group to build on our extensive work for FDOT to help them meet the needs of this booming community.”

“We are excited to be working again with Stantec on the River Road Design Build project,” said Kristina Demoya, Senior Project Manager at The de Moya Group. “The teamwork and success realized by our team during the pursuit stage is just the beginning of our journey to completing another award-winning job for FDOT D1.”

Stantec and The de Moya Group have a history of providing transportation solutions in Florida. The team has previously delivered $1.9 billion in design-build projects including FDOT D1’s $72-million I-75 Caloosahatchee River Bridge widening. The project earned the team multiple awards, including the 2016 Best in Construction (Major Bridge) award from the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association and FDOT and 2016 Outstanding Bridge Project from the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers.

On August 6, the design-build team received official notice from FDOT D1 to proceed with the River Road Expansion project.