Islandwide trail, bike share program among projects included in Manatee County grant application
MANATEE -- An island-wide trail, a bike share program and a water taxi connection are possible solutions for Anna Maria Island as a way to get people out of cars and to alleviate congestion on the 7-mile barrier island.
Manatee County, along with the island's cities, are finalizing a TIGER grant application for a number of projects on Anna Maria Island, including the AMI Sun Trail, improvements to the Coquina North Boat Ramp and stormwater improvements on the southern end of Coquina Beach. Manatee County plans to submit the grant application by April 26.
"This project will mean a lot to the island communities, getting traffic off the highways, which we already know the problems out there, and getting people on their bikes and walking," Commissioner John Chappie said Tuesday.
While the grant requires a 25 percent match, the projects included in the grant application for Manatee County are in the $15 million to $17 million price range, according to Charlie Bishop, the county's property management director.
The TIGER grant, which is given through the U.S. Department of Transportation, is not an easy grant to apply for, County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said.
"It's a very competitive grant," Hunzeker said. "We are not assured success. We are doing a yeoman's job in putting together a package that should be irresistible."
The three cities on Anna Maria Island have been working together on the AMI Sun Trail, which would create an islandwide bicycle path.
"I just can't express enough gratitude for the manner in which this has evolved and come about," Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson said.
Chappie added, "Working together we can get things done, and we will get things done."
Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.
This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Islandwide trail, bike share program among projects included in Manatee County grant application ."