Safety Review Sought on Midnight Pass Road

Sarasota County Commissioners formally asked the Florida Department of Transportation to look at increasing safety on a stretch of Midnight Pass Road where .

Commissioner Nora Patterson broached the subject during the “commissioner comments” section of the agenda, saying she’d received an email about speed limits on Midnight Pass Road between Heigel Avenue and Beach Road.

“What happened Saturday had no relationship to speed limits,” she said. “We need to ask (the Florida Department of Transportation) to take a look at that curve to make that area a little safer.”

Patterson was referring to , who was out jogging on Midnight Pass Road Saturday afternoon, when she was struck by a 22-year-old intoxicated motorist fleeing another hit-and-run crash, according to investigators.

While the speed limit on that stretch of road is 40 mph, residents for years have complained about motorists exceeding it, with speeds topping 60 mph.

“People do go really fast there, and the Sheriff attempts to patrol it, but he can’t be there all the time,” said Patterson.

“I travel that road every day myself,” said Commission Chair Christine Robinson. “I’m skeptical that lowering the speed limit will have any effect, because people are breaking the speed limit anyway.”

Siesta Key Association President Catherine Luckner said the group asked for radar speed-calming devices last year on Midnight Pass Road and five other locations on the island. She said the signs are about to go up. 

Luckner said both the Siesta Key Association and Siesta Key Condominium Council Association have asked FDOT to cut the speed limit on Midnight Pass Road between Stickney Point and Beach Road to 30 mph from 35. 

Commissioners unanimously approved contacting the FDOT to seek a safety review of the two-mile stretch of road. 

This article has been corrected to properly identify Siesta Key Condominium Council Association. And re-edited to properly identify Catherine Luckner's position.