Siesta Breeze Trolley funding extended for two years

Sarasota County’s No. 1 public transit route isn’t going anywhere, thanks to renewed funding agreements.

The Sarasota County Commission took steps Tuesday to continue funding for the Siesta Key Breeze Trolley.

A grant from the Federal Transit Administration will continue to fund 50% of the open-air circulator costs. The county and the Florida Department of Transportation split the remaining funding for the trolley. It costs almost $900,000 each year to operate the free-to-ride trolley.

On Tuesday, the county approved the execution of a new joint participation agreement with FDOT to secure its portion of the funding for state fiscal years 2018 and 2019. 

This move is a more permanent solution for the trolley, which the county has been working on since last year.

The route finished its first year in March, and SCAT celebrated the 250,000th trolley rider in April.

With the renewed funding comes an adjustment to the operating services to reflect ridership fluctuation. SCAT will reduce the number of trolleys operating Monday through Thursday, starting May 1. The trolley experiences peak ridership in February through April.

The trolley will continue to operate Sundays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to midnight.

The trolley travels up and down Siesta Key, from the Village to Turtle Beach.