Wallenda wants to highwire walk above U.S. 41

Performer Nik Wallenda wants to highwire “skywalk” across U.S. 41 on a stunt proposed for Jan. 29.

Wallenda wants to do the stunt without a safety harness, according to Circus Sarasota promotional material for the event.

The event, however, is far from definite. Circus Sarasota on Monday contacted city officials about the event. The group would need approval from both the city and the Florida Department of Transportation before planning the event.

The proposed walk would be about 15 stories high across U.S. 41 from downtown to the bayfront near the Unconditional Surrender sculpture.

Wallenda did a similar skywalk in Sarasota in 2010. In June Wallenda walked from the U.S. to Canadian border at Niagara Falls.

“The proposed downtown walk would be approx. 15 stories high - 600 feet - across US Hwy 41 with the beautiful landscape of Sarasota in international publicity,” wrote Jennifer Mitchell, director of Marketing with Circus Sarasota, in an email to city officials Monday, Jan. 14.

“We have scoped out the logistics to make a Sarasota Skywalk possible,” Mitchell wrote.