1. The process for obtaining a sign requiring a resolution is writing a letter to the Traffic Manager.
2. An investigation of the area is made and findings will be brought before the Traffic Advisory Committee. Interested parties are requested to attend.
3. If the Traffic Advisory Committee approves, then a request is forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval. After final approval the sign will be installed upon receipt of the resolution. Signs not requiring a resolution may be requested through the Traffic Operations department.
4. If the sign can not be installed a representative from Traffic Operations will call the requesting party.

Traffic Topics

Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations uses the latest optical equipment to provide emergency pre-emption to the county fire departments.

• It is Traffic Engineering's policy to use these optical devices on signals.
• This optical technology detects emergency vehicles using coded strobe light and then communicates this to the traffic controller, which in turn will give additional green time or temporarily change the cycle to allow emergency vehicles to pass through an intersection.

Sarasota County installed a traffic signal pre-emption system for emergency vehicles.

• This system was installed on the traffic signals located at Bee Ridge and Mauna Loa Blvd., Bee Ridge and the east side I-75 ramps, Bee Ridge and the west side I-75 ramps, Bee Ridge at Cattlemen Road and Cattlemen Road at the Cattleridge driveways.

After detecting the approach of an emergency vehicle the pre-emption, system forces all the signal indications in the vehicle’s path to turn green in sufficient time for any automobiles and trucks in the path of the emergency vehicle to clear out of its way before it arrives.

• If two emergency vehicles arrive at the same time from different directions, the system prevents the second emergency vehicle from pre-empting the signal system until the first vehicle is safely through the area.

The system called, EPS-II is unique in that it operates off the electronic siren of the emergency vehicle. Subsequent to the initial installation, the county installed an individual system at Honore and Fruitville Road, a location traversed 856 times in 1996 by vehicles from the fire station on 17th. Street. The county is now in the process of installing an individual system at the U.S. Highway 41 By-Pass and Venice Avenue. This is a joint venture with the city of Venice and will benefit fire and ambulance stations located close by.

Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff reviews construction plans for new development and new road construction throughout the county for consistency with federal, state, and county guidelines. County guidelines include consistency with county standards for signs, signals, street lighting, road markings and devices placed on, over or adjacent to county maintained streets to assist with maintenance responsibilities.

Requesting maintenance on damaged or missing signs call Traffic Operations?

• Request for new installation of certain Regulatory Signs require a resolution - stop signs, speed limit, no parking, yield, no through trucks.

Sarasota County Traffic Operations maintains all traffic control devices: signs, signals, road markings, and devices placed on, over, or adjacent to county maintained streets or highways to regulate, warn, or guide traffic.

• Traffic Operations follows the standards set in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
• Traffic Operations signal maintenance division maintains more than 2,600 street and roadway lights.
• The Traffic Operations signal division is responsible for keeping these street lights fully functional to adequately keep county roads lit.
  • This includes replacing light poles which have been knocked down or damaged by lightning.
  • This does not include a number of Tax Lighting Districts, Florida Power and Light, or other privately owned and maintained street lights.

Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff conducts annual traffic counts at select locations throughout the county. There are seven permanent count stations which continuously count data and report to the Traffic Control Center.

• Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff reviews construction plans for new development and new road construction throughout the county for consistency with federal, state, and county guidelines.
  • County guidelines also include consistency with appropriate maintenance of traffic standards for lane closures or road closures associated with new development.
• Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff maintains the traffic signal timing.
  • Adjustments are made to signal timing to accommodate rush hour, special events, and non-recurring congestion resulting from an accident.
  • The goal of adjusting signal timing is to effectively manage transportation systems to provide the general public with a safe, efficient, and pleasant travel experience.
• Sarasota County Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff documents crashes on county roads to make this data available in an effort to improve safety along the county's roads.
  • Annually Traffic Engineering and Operations engineering staff generate a crash report which has a numerical breakdown of types of crashes, volumes, and other data for each signalized intersection and for each segment of county maintained road.
  • This information is reviewed annually for ways to improve the safety of county thoroughfares.
• Sarasota County Traffic Operations signal maintenance division is capable of making a video tape recording of county roads to provide traffic count data which is best analyzed visibly.
  • This is a beneficial supplement to the other vehicle counts conducted by Traffic Operations.