County Commission agrees to 12-month pilot program
On Sept. 1, the Sarasota County Breeze Transit program will launch a slightly longer route for the Route 77 Siesta Islander, the barrier island’s trolley, which will take the vehicle to the northern business area of Siesta Village, Jane Grogg, director of Breeze Transit, told the Sarasota County Commission on Aug. 26.
That extra distance comprises approximately one block, Grogg noted.
The revised route will operate as a pilot program for a year, she explained, as county staff works with Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce leaders and others on the Key to deal with potential issues along the planned route.
In June, Commissioner Mark Smith, a long-time Siesta Key resident, won the support of his colleagues in calling for the extension of the trolley’s loop.
As The Sarasota News Leader has reported, the Route 77 Siesta Islander runs between Turtle Beach Park and Morton’s Siesta Market, which stands at the intersection of Canal Road and Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Village.
The trolley began circulating between the Key and downtown Sarasota on Nov. 2, 2024, at the board’s direction. Grogg had proposed that longer route in an effort to add more visitors as riders, based on the potential noted in research that staff had undertaken.
Subsequently, on April 24, that extended route ended, in an effort to pare expenses in the county budget this year and in future fiscal years, as the board members await the outcome of a state property tax referendum on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot. The commissioners had asked County Administrator Jonathan Lewis to cut expenses wherever possible, to save money in the event that the referendum wins voter approval and the county ends up losing approximately $87 million by the 2029 fiscal year.
During her Aug. 26 presentation, Grogg pointed out that no additional county revenue would be needed for the planned change that will begin next week. Overall, she said, the adjustment will add “about a half-mile” to the route.
“That is a minimal amount in the scheme of the entire length of the route,” she emphasized.
Moreover, she said, it will “create only a slightly increased time difference in the travel time of the trolley …”
“I know there is great interest from both the Chamber and the business community out there,” Grogg added, “to test this [proposal].”
She showed the commissioners a map depicting the revised island route, which leaders of the Siesta Chamber had proposed.
Referencing two prior reports that the Transit staff had prepared in the past, in response to board interest in the trolley’s serving the northern Siesta Village businesses, Grogg did note that, along Calle Minorga, which runs parallel to Ocean Boulevard, earlier research had indicated the potential that vehicles packing out of parking spaces could encroach into the trolley’s path. Additionally, she reminded the board members about large rocks on the opposite side of Calle Minorga, which — she has reported — apparently were put in place to deter people from parking in that area.
Her team members have been talking with the people serving on the Siesta Chamber’s Trolley Committee “about whether it makes sense to just stay on Ocean Boulevard and not take that back street,” Grogg told the board, referencing Calle Minorga again. “We’re not currently serving stops on Canal Road,” she said, referring to the trolley’s path to Morton’s and the four-way stop in Siesta Village.
Commissioner Smith expressed interest in the idea of eliminating the travel on Canal Road.
Moreover, he noted the heavy amount of pedestrian traffic in Siesta Village in the area of the four-way stop at Canal Road, as the stop is adjacent to the gazebo. He further talked of the fact that many people in that part of the Village fail to use crosswalks.
“My suggestion,” Smith said, “would be to eventually get rid of the Canal [Road] portion of [the route] and just have the trolleys go up and down both Beach [Road] and then Ocean [Boulevard] …”
If the new route proves successful, Grogg continued, the Transit staff would look into the potential creation of an accessible boarding site in the northern part of the Village, along with lighting, so that stop would appear similar to others the trolley uses.
Further, she did acknowledge concerns on the island that the extended route will exacerbate vehicle traffic delays.
Residents long have complained during Siesta Key Association meetings about the trolley’s stops for boarding and deboarding backing up vehicles, as the trolley has no locations to pull completely off most of the road segments it travels. “So we’ll continue to assess that as part of the pilot, as well,” Grogg said.
“This is something that the businesses on the north end of the Village have been looking for for some time,” Smith added, noting that he was looking forward to seeing rider data generated by the pilot program.
No motion was necessary, County Administrator Jonathan Lewis indicated, given the prior board direction for the Breeze Transit staff to work on the pilot program.