Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/285258
put into it. I am supportive of this project, that has been scaled down, and we're not footing the bill for millions on this," Robinson said. Like Robinson, Commissioner Carolyn Mason noted that she had reservations earlier, but she is now supportive of the proposal. Mason pointed out that when she first heard about the proposal at a Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting, she asked herself, "What are they talking about?" But, again like Robinson, she favors the scaled-down version that will be funded by the state. Hines noted that the project will entail some traffic delays and motorist headaches while it is under construction. "We all recognize there is no perfect time to do this," Hines said, adding, "There will be some pain, but it's better to have this done this century than to wait." Construction could begin within a year, according to state and local officials. A strat- egy will have to be devised regarding whether to pause the work or plan it around the major 2017 World Rowing Championships, which will be held at Nathan Benderson Park. That event is expected to draw more than 40,000 people, according to Paul Blackketter, the head of the nonprofit organization that man- ages events at the park. NEW SUPPORT On April 16, 2013, during a joint meeting of the Sarasota and Manatee county commissions, FDOT consultants presented a version of the plans for the diverging diamond intersection. At the time, they said work tentatively was set to begin in 2018. A diverging diamond would work best at the I-75 interchange with University Parkway, the consultants explained, because it could handle more traffic with ease than a standard "clover leaf" design could. Even though this type of intersection is relatively new — the first was built in Missouri in 2009 — it has been functioning smoothly; by the end of 2015, the consultants pointed out that as many as 70 could be in use throughout the country. A graphic shows how a diverging diamond interchange would work at University Parkway and Interstate 75. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader March 28, 2014 Page 31