SCAT BUS CHANGES TAKE EFFECT SATURDAY

SARASOTA COUNTY AREA TRANSIT WILL IMPLEMENT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SOME OF ITS ROUTES AND SCHEDULES BEGINNING TOMORROW.  THE COUNTY SAYS THE CHANGES WILL IMPROVE FREQUENCY CONNECTION OPTIONS IN VENICE, NORTH PORT, AND ENGLEWOOD.  THE CHANGES INCLUDE THE ROUTE 26 VENICE CONNECTOR, WHICH WILL MERGE WITH MOST OF ROUTE 13, WHICH SERVICES VENICE ISLAND.  THE PORTION OF ROUTE 26 OPERATING ON THE 41 BYPASS WILL BE SERVED BY A REDESIGNED ROUTE 16.  THAT ROUTE WILL BE MORE DIRECT BETWEEN VENICE AND ENGLEWOOD, WHILE ROUTE 13 WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE VENICE WALMART ON JACARANDA BOULEVARD VIA CENTER ROAD, SHAMROCK BOULEVARD, ALLIGATOR DRIVE, AND US 41.  TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, SCAT WILL REMOVE SERVICE FROM BUSINESS 41 BETWEEN VENICE AVENUE AND AVENIDA DEL CIRCO.  NORTH OF THE VENICE PUBLIX SHOPPING PLAZA, PASSANGERS CAN ACCESS ROUTE 13 A BLOCK WEST OF BUSINESS 41 ON NOKOMIS AVENUE BETWEEN VENICE AVENUE AND PALMERO PLACE.  IN ADDITION, ROUTE 9 WILL BE TWEAKED FOR BETTER CONNECTIONS.