Over 100 elected officials and community members attended the Choices: Scenario Planning Workshop and explored how three themes, derived from community surveys, outreach and planning events, compared to the current trend, could play out over the next 50 years. Each scenario illustrates future types and locations of communities, which influence how people will travel in the future. Participants agreed they would like to invest in the Vibrant Places Scenario, Environmental Health Scenario, Economic Diversity scenario, and the Current Trend scenario, respectively. Furthermore, most preferred the Vibrant Places Scenario. It is important the MPO receives community feedback on these scenarios in order to build a collective community vision.

The public is invited to share their opinion by taking the second survey in a series of four total— the Scenario Survey, released at the Choices Workshop. The community vision directly influences the regional transformation of the transportation network in the Sarasota/Manatee MPO 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The purpose of the 2045 LRTP is to develop future transportation facilities in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The LRTP must consider the full complement of transportation modes – roads, bicycles, pedestrians, trails, transit, parking, railroads and airports. The plan spans at least twenty years and must be updated every five years. The 2045 LRTP must include robust public involvement to shape the final plan.

The survey closes November 30 and the public is encouraged to help build the community vision today. Take the Scenario Survey here, www.mympo.org/transformtomorrow.