Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/122777
Sarasota News Leader April 19, 2013 Page 34 of the city of Sarasota. … Redevelopment is the future of its U.S. 41 corridor, Hunzeker the only way they're going to survive." said.) Barbetta added that a focus on North Tamiami Trail improvements is one of the keys to improving the city's financial health. "I hope we can get them to the table to get this thing moving," he said of the City commissioners and the BRT proposal. Manatee Commissioner Betsy Benac told her fellow board members, "I'm excited about the opportunity to look for redevelopment. … I was very excited about the [Urban Land Institute] saying U.S. 41 should be our spine." "I hope it's something … that we all have the political fortitude to do," Benac continued of redeveloping that route. "It's been proven if you can get [transit waits] under 30 minutes, you can increase your ridership." Manatee Commissioner Michael Gallen added that he hoped his board could meet with city officials from Palmetto and Bradenton, and maybe even the State College of Florida and IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton, to discuss how a BRT system could benefit all of them. (The Manatee Commission is awaiting a re- When she heard that U.S. 41 was Sarasota port from the institute on May 14 regarding County's focus for a BRT system, Manatee A Sarasota County Area Transit bus makes a stop at Westfield Southgate Mall in Sarasota. Photo by Rachel Hackney