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Sarasota News Leader February 8, 2013 Page 24 years, and now they're fighting their way back communities are aiming to cover half their in." costs on their own. "We need millions for [Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)] funding from now on," Reid said. "Being out of BRT [consideration] is a minor issue compared to being out of favor with federal officials who can hold up money for grants and operating [expenses for SCAT], because that will fall back on us." With use of the railroad corridor for the system from downtown Sarasota to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, Paul continued, and use of a road corridor such as U.S. 41 to Southgate Mall, the annual operating expense would be about $1.5 million. Alternatives without the use of the railroad THE EXPENSES corridor would cost about $2.5 million per Glama Carter, the county's new general man- year to operate, he added. ager of SCAT, pointed out that the cost of an The FTA will put considerable emphasis on analysis of an alternate route to the railroad how the community plans to pay for the ongocorridor would be about $850,000. ing costs of a BRT system, Paul pointed out. "That's even a serious commitment," said Pat- Reid noted that some communities in the terson, "unless our city commissioners are go- United States are implementing transit taxes ing to tell us [they want to pursue the U.S. 41 to cover BRT system costs. corridor]." County Commissioner Christine Robinson During his presentation — a shorter version told the city commissioners the county board of one he made on Jan. 29 to the County Comlearned last week that the cost of providing mission — Paul pointed out that the applicashelters for all of its existing SCAT stops, as tion the two boards had on file with the FTA well as replacing 59 SCAT buses, would total was part of the federal government's Small close to $80 million. The BRT expenses, she Starts program. With a maximum capital investment of $250 million in such a program, said, would be "on top of that." he said, the FTA could provide the county a Robinson also cautioned that residents in the grant of up to $75 million. southern part of the county would have to be If the county pursued a BRT system costing convinced of the importance of putting county $100 million, Paul said, the county would be resources into the BRT system, even though it would not extend into that part of the county. required to pay $25 million. Paul suggested other grant funds could be "This is a defining moment for the North found to cover about half million of that ex- Trail," Mayor Suzanne Atwell said. pense. Agreeing with Barbetta on the need to move Paul did caution, "More and more this is be- forward with creating a BRT system, she added, coming a very competitive process," so some "I'd like to get it done as soon as possible." %