Downtown to move at fast pace

APRIL FOOLS —

The city of Sarasota is filled with movers and shakers — or, at least, it will be soon.

The Sarasota City Commission has directed staff to sign a contract with a Tampa-based people-mover transit system company, All the Right Moves (ARM), that would build an automated people conveyor belt from U.S. 301 to the bayfront.

The $120 million people mover project, which is eligible for a matching federal grant, will allow pedestrians to quickly get around downtown on a 38 mph conveyor belt that’s faster than moving sidewalks that are used in airports across the county.

The outdoor people mover will run east and west on Main Street from U.S. 301 to the bayfront and will include access points at U.S. 301, Orange Avenue, Lemon Avenue, Palm Avenue and the bayfront in front of Marina Jack.

Emails between city staff members and people mover design officials reveal the system is the first of its kind in the country and could be operational by April 1, 2013.

ARM’s system, dubbed “Extreme Rapid Transit People Mover,” will reach speeds of up to 38 mph in between designated stops. The designated stops, however, are only labeled “slow down points,” because the system never fully stops and only slows to 17 mph to allow pedestrians to gain access to the people mover.

Officials chose a 38 mph system over a faster and more expensive 55 mph system, in part, because of the city’s elderly population.

“Mobility is our No. 1 concern — especially the mobility of our aging population,” one city staff member wrote.
Emails last week between commissioners and city staffers reveal the commission is determined to move on from the parking meter program fiasco by getting people moving downtown without taking up all premium parking spots in front of the new slot machine parking meters.

“The goal is to promote this future program with current residents and business owners who can leave their cars at home to free up spaces for visitors,” one city staff email stated.

But it’s clear the city is more concerned about getting downtown merchants and residents on board with this program.

How-to-use brochures are already being formulated to tell people how the people mover works and to invite them to a how-to-use seminar next month. The commission will then gauge whether to move forward with the project after reviewing comment cards provided at the open house.

The people mover will come before commissioners for their official review at its April 2 regular meeting.

People Mover Open House
City of Sarasota residents and business owners are invited to try out a proposed Extreme Rapid Transit People Mover system from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1 in front of City Hall.

At the open house, people will be allowed to practice getting on the system. Brochures will be handed out at the open house that contain the following tips:

• To gain optimal access to the people mover, begin walking or jogging briskly at a rate of at least 7 mph.

• If you have shopping bags or other items in your possession, you are encouraged to toss your non-breakable items onto the conveyor belt first to avoid losing your balance.

• If you are over the age of 65 or have a heart condition, you may only obtain access to the people mover by putting on provided rollerblades and grabbing onto people mover handlebars located along the conveyor belt.