City to apply for streetcar grant

The city of Sarasota is preparing a federal grant request for $25 million to build a streetcar system.

The proposal would place a fixed rail on Main Street from Kane Plaza to Marina Jack.

A group called the Sarasota Streetcar Initiative has proposed a second route that would run between Sarasota’s cultural attractions, running from Van Wezel Performing Arts Center to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

However, City Engineer Alex DavisShaw said the grant is not large enough to include that cultural route.

The deadline to submit the grant request is Feb. 8.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].