Come tourist season, Marco Island might have a circulating trolley and expanded bus service on a trial basis to determine if it helps with traffic issues and parking during tourist season.
Marco Island City Council is talking about a pilot program with Collier Area Transit (CAT), which already has bus service to the city. Councilman Rich Blonna wrote a white paper and has been working with CAT on costs and routes. He brought the white paper to City Council at its June 17 meeting and with its consensus will present it at the city’s July 22 operating budget workshop in an effort to find the $20,000 needed for the pilot.
“I’m presenting this as a way to help with traffic. One bus can take the place of at least 20 cars,” Blonna said. “We don’t know if it will work at all until we try it.”
At least four members of the City Council agree.
What is the proposal?
Blonna said he had meetings with Brian Wells, CAT Division director; Alexander Showalter, senior planner; and Omar DeLeon, transit manager to talk potential routes, timing and costs.