201277-8 l-75 (S.R. 93) at Clark Road (S.R. 72) Interchange Landscaping

Project Overview

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), along with Sarasota County, completed construction of the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at Clark Road and I-75 in late 2024. To place the finishing touch on the interchange, FDOT is currently underway with a beautification/landscaping project to increase the interchange’s visual attractiveness and restore the area to a more natural aesthetic with Florida-hardy trees and plantings.

The importance of the interchange is unquestionable, as it is the gateway for thousands of daily commuters, truckers, service providers, residents and the area’s important tourists and yearly visitors. It provides the key access point to the main corridor visitors and residents use to travel to one of the top-rated beaches in the world—Siesta Key. Other points of interest along the corridor include the nationally-known Sarasota National Cemetery to the east and important goods and services distribution centers, major retail and shopping centers, the Palmer Ranch and Skye Ranch communities to the west.

As a major hub for the thousands of travelers to Sarasota County, its visual appeal is of primary importance, and with the landscaping project underway, the area will once again be known for its beauty and natural Florida charm. Working together with landscaping experts, the project will include some of the most beautiful and popular Florida-hardy plantings that were chosen for their attractiveness and ability to withstand Florida’s ever-changing climate.

Altogether, there will be approximately 3,600 plantings within the .9-mile project area, which includes Clark Road, four major interstate ramps and several smaller interior ramps. Chosen plantings include about 111 sabal/cabbage palms, also known as the designated state tree; approximately 150 majestic royal palms (with many of these being planted at a height of up to 30 feet); and roughly 37 lovely flowering royal poincianas in addition to crepe myrtles, black olives and European fan palms for a total of more than 320 palms and trees. The remaining 3,200 plantings will consist of the attractive fern-like coontie shrub, a native United States Cycad-family shrub known as the only food source for the rare Atala butterfly and the hardy silver saw palmetto.