State of the City Address highlights projects coming to North Port

State of the City Address highlights projects coming to North Port

Published on January 22, 2026

City Manager Jerome Fletcher delivered his 2026 State of the City Address on Thursday, outlining a year of accomplishments and the exciting projects in health care and infrastructure on North Port's horizon.

The speech was delivered at the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting at Suncoast Technical College. A video and the full text of Fletcher's remarks can be viewed at NorthPortFL.gov/StateOfTheCity.

"There is such incredible momentum happening in North Port right now," Fletcher said. "You can see it and feel it everywhere you go. Things that were only talked about for years are becoming a reality right before our eyes."

A prime example highlighted by Fletcher: The Price Boulevard Widening Project, finally underway this year after more than a decade of discussion and planning. A 2.8-mile segment of Price between Sumter and Toledo Blade boulevards is being expanded to two lanes in each direction with a center turning lane, greatly increasing traffic capacity on this key thoroughfare and evacuation route.

The address also focused on North Port's emerging status as a regional health care hub. Most notably, Fletcher said, is Sarasota Memorial Hospital's North Port campus. SMH broke ground in November on the $507 million project, which Fletcher called "one of the most transformative projects our city has seen in its 66-year history." The new hospital and other related health care facilities recently opened or planned in North Port will add hundreds of skilled jobs and expand access to high-quality care.

Fletcher's speech detailed North Port's thriving economy, including an influx of new residential and commercial developments across the city that resulted in a No. 3 "BoomTown" national ranking in 2025 by LendingTree.

Fletcher also noted several other projects and initiatives now underway: the construction of two new fire stations and an Emergency Operations Center, the adoption of a new Parks Master Plan, renovations at Warm Mineral Springs Park, traffic improvements at North Port's two Interstate 75 interchanges, the new Wellen Park High School and a refresh of the City's brand identity.

"North Port's story is one of possibility," Fletcher said. "The positive changes that so many of us have only dreamed about in years past are becoming a reality. In 2026 and beyond, we will continue to build a city that is safe, welcoming and full of opportunity - a city that our residents are proud to call home."

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