Free short-term parking disappearing from Sarasota Bradenton Airport. Here’s why
A long-time freebie at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport disappears this week: Free parking for the first 30 minutes becomes a thing of the past starting Friday.
And — parking rates are going up.
The reason? Record-setting passenger growth.
Those parking spaces are needed to keep up with the demand created by more passengers traveling through Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. In the first eight months of 2021, there were 2,034,538 passengers who traveled through the terminal, breaking the previous record of 2,010,304 set in the 12 months of 1990.
Daily rates in long-term and the shade lot will increase by $1. Long-term parking rates will increase from $13 to $14. Parking in the shade lot will increase $14 to $15. Short-term parking rates will increase by $2, from $16 to $18.
Customers can still find free temporary parking in the cellphone lot located on Rental Car Road.
Much of Monday’s Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority meeting focused on managing growth, including:
▪ Increasing the contract scope with PGAL for the consolidated car rental facility project. With the increased demand for rental cars, the facility needs to be expanded to increase storage capacity with a multi-level garage. The design and permitting fees for the planned garage are $385,545. The project is fully funded with customer facility charges.
▪ Increasing the contract scope with Magnum Builders of Sarasota for parking lot expansion, including expanding long-term parking, and paving the overflow area. Magnum’s contract will increase by $272,411 and be paid with CARES funds, dispersed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
▪ Increasing the contract scope with Magnum Builders of Sarasota to expand the rental care ready/return lot by 105 spaces. Approved was a fee of $1.1 million for the expansion, to be paid by customer facility charges.
▪ Adding a sixth lane to the security checkpoint area at a cost of $195,000 to be paid for with CARES funds.
Although not an expansion project, the airport authority also approved a lease and concession agreement with Mitchell Management of Florida, Inc. to operate a Jimmy Johns restaurant at the airport, citing the need to serve the growing number of passengers at the airport.
For more information about airport parking, check the website at https://srq-airport.com/parking.
