Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/264109
— places where structures could be erected fairly quickly and/or at a lower cost — Carter explained on Feb. 12 that a number of fac- tors go into site selection. Among them are availability of rights of way and easements, whether the site is part of a project already planned by a developer or the county, and the level of ridership at a particular spot, among others. Barbetta asked why the SCAT stop in front of the County Administration Center at 1660 Ringling Blvd. in downtown Sarasota still has no shelter. "Buses stop there frequently every day, and there's a bench," he said. That is among the sites scheduled to get a shelter this year, Carter responded. An average medium SCAT shelter — 4 feet 6 inches by 12 feet — costs $5,625, Carter said, with a trash receptacle and a bench. The aver- age installation cost is $1,544. However, Isaac Brownman, director of cap- ital projects in the county's Public Works Department, explained that the expenses for site survey and engineering, permitting, land acquisition, construction and other fac- tors lead to a final cost between $15,000 and $34,000. "We believe that to be a credible range," he added. A chart compares Sarasota County Area Transit bus shelter costs with those of five peer counties. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader February 21, 2014 Page 65