County to Discuss $100 Million Bus Plan

During today's Sarasota County Commission meeting, an update will be presented about the $100 million bus rapid transit plan.

Sarasota County has requested Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval to advance the North South Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) into project development phase of the Small Starts Program.

According to county documents, the county hopes that this program would pay up to $75 million of the project's cost.

The BRT, according to the county, is designed to connect major employment and activity centers in a traffic-congested, north-south corridor. The corridor begins in the north around , serves downtown Sarasota, and connects to and areas beyond to the south.

Sarasota County would have five years to complete project once accepted into the project development phase. Rob Lewis, executive director of planning and development services, said that while no agreement is in writing, the county plans to partner with the Florida Department of Transportation on the project.

Lewis, the executive director of planning and development services for the county, also wrote:

"FDOT New Start funds of approximately $6.5 million in the current state transportation plan may be available, but cannot be released to SCAT until FTA has approved entry into project development. SCAT's responsible portion of the grant, if awarded, will be funded by the county's Transit Greenway Surtax III monies ... We are proposing to use of all surtax monies."

The county expects the BRT to cost $1.56 million annually to operate.