SARASOTA, Fla. — The 58th St. Connector, a road extension that has been part of the New College Campus Master Plan for nearly a decade, opened earlier this week. The connector extends 58th street to intersect with College Drive, creating an additional entrance and egress point for vehicles to reach College Hall and Cook Hall.
“The completion of the 58th St. Connector is yet another tangible improvement to our campus over the last year,“ said Richard Corcoran, President of New College. “The upgrades that have been completed, are currently underway, and are in the pipeline for the years ahead will provide our students, faculty and staff with a campus befitting of America’s best liberal arts college.”
Extending 58th St. between Bay Shore Road and College Drive improves both convenience and safety. The improved traffic circulation will reduce the traffic at the Dort Promenade pedestrian crossing and allows for faster response times for emergency vehicles to reach some parts of the campus.
The project was approved by the New College Board of Trustees just over six months ago at its August 10 meeting. Funding for the project came from New College’s 2023 appropriations from the Florida Legislature.