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Sarasota County adopts 10‑year Transit Development Plan; public outreach prioritized service for residents without cars
Summary
The Board adopted the 2024 Transit Development Plan, a 10‑year FDOT‑required strategy identifying 15 potential projects and prioritizing frequency and expanded hours to serve residents without reliable transportation; staff will use the TDP to pursue grants and guide service optimization.
Sarasota County unanimously adopted its 2024 Transit Development Plan (TDP) on Aug. 26, a 10‑year strategic document required by the Florida Department of Transportation that identifies potential transit projects and funding priorities.
"The TDP serves as our 10‑year strategic plan and identifies public transit needs of the community," Jane Grogg, Director of Transit, told commissioners. The plan — more than 270 pages of data analysis, outreach findings and project modeling — identified 15 candidate projects ranked by alignment with regional goals, estimated costs and implementation feasibility. Nine projects were placed in a short‑term 1–5 year window.
Public outreach and riders surveyed made two priorities clear: serve people without reliable transportation and improve frequency and hours of service. Corridors serving US‑41 were singled out as the highest priority for reducing traffic and moving people efficiently.
Staff explained the TDP will support grant applications and MPO priorities but does not automatically obligate funding. Several commissioners asked staff to pursue public‑private partnerships for shelters and amenities, and to explore optimization of lower‑ridership routes and commingling demand response and on‑demand services to improve efficiency.
The Board adopted a resolution approving the TDP and authorized submission to FDOT and presentation to the MPO as required by state rules.
