The public needs to sound off Wednesday to improve Lynx bus service

By -

If you have difficulty getting from Point A to Point B in Central Florida, then you should attend a very important meeting scheduled for this Wednesday (Aug. 21).

The meeting was called by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings to discuss transportation -- everything from roads to SunRail and the Lynx bus system.


During his first State of the County address Demings floated the idea of seeking voter approval for a 1-cent sales tax increase in Orange County to help pay for needed improvements to public transportation.

In that speech, Demings said, “I am convinced that now is the time for us to seek multi-modal transportation options that will increase frequency of public transit so more people will use it,” Mayor Demings said.

“Now is the time to collectively arrive at a comprehensive solution that will foster an environment where a transportation network is fully funded. I invite our community to consider support of a sales tax referendum to prepare for the future today. I look forward to leading efforts to pass a one-cent sales tax increase that will allow us to fully fund a transportation system that can better serve us well into the future.”

He promised to call meetings to discuss transportation needs.

Wednesday's event, which will be held in a second-floor conference room at Lynx Central Station in downtown Orlando.

Lynx struggles to serve three counties with a fleet of barely more than 300 buses. By comparison, the Orange County School District has a fleet of 900 buses to serve one county. Many passengers must wait an hour for buses because the fleet is too small, and the system is poorly funded.

Improving public transit gives residents an alternative to driving their cars everywhere – especially when heading to downtown Orlando, where congestion is the worst and parking is expensive.

“Now is the time to move forward and not go back, now is the time to build a better quality of life not only for us but for generations to come,” Demings said during the State of the County speech.

County officials said they're seeking the public's thoughts on:
·        Public transportation
·        Congested roads
·        Pedestrian crossings
·        Traffic signals and technology

Wednesday’s meeting will start at 6 p.m.

Lynx Central Station is a perfect location because it is easy to reach by folks who ride SunRail and Lynx.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Route changes coming to Lynx

By -
Image
Lynx is planning to make route and schedule changes throughout its bus system serving Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Most of the changes appear to be minor, with the exception of some routes serving the Disney resort area. Here are the details: ROUTE CHANGES ·          Link 36 – Lake Richmond (Orange County) – Outbound buses will operate via Central Avenue instead of Washington Street between Hughey Avenue and Division Avenue. ·          Link 104 – West Colonial Drive (Orange County) – Inbound buses will operate via Rosalind Avenue, Amelia Street to LYNX Central Station. Outbound buses will operate via Livingston Street, Magnolia Avenue to Robinson Street. ROUTE AND SCHEDULE CHANGES ·          Link 40 – Americana Boulevard/Universal Orlando (Orange County) – Outbound buses will operate via Central Avenue instead of Washington Street between Hughey Avenue and Division Avenue. Minor schedule adjustments.   ·          Link 300 – Downtown Orla
Read more

Coronavirus: Lynx bus questions and answers

By -
Image
What follows are questions that  David Thomas Moran , co-chair of CFL4Transit (Central Floridians for Public Transit), sent to the leadership at the Lynx public bus system.  Check out the answers he received . 1.     How can the community-at-large and CFL4Transit best support LYNX and public transit right now and in the coming months? What are the biggest needs? The best way to help is by sharing the information we are pushing. ·         www.golynx.com/coronavirusinfo   ·         www.facebook.com/golynx ·         www.twitter.com/lynxbusorlando Along with this we need people to understand that if you are sick, you do not ride. We are encouraging essential trips only. 2.     How is LYNX coordinating with public health officials to support the safety and well-being of transit riders and transit operators during the    COVID-19 outbreak? LYNX is following all recommendations set forth by the CDC and local health departments to continue safely moving passenge
Read more

Downtown Kissimmee is getting a new bus route

By -
Image
A new bus route has been proposed for Kissimmee that would benefit both locals and people arriving at Kissimmee’s new SunRail station. The proposed route, to be known as Link 709/Kissimmee Connector will make it easy for people to reach some of the most popular destinations in the downtown Kissimmee area. Kissimmee Intermodal Station Tentative plans call for charging $1 to use the Link 709. The bus will begin its route at the Kissimmee Intermodal Station, which is also where the SunRail train stops. The intermodal station is a major transfer point for buses from all over Osceola County. Amtrak trains also stop at that station, and that’s also where people board and get off the Greyhound bus. A press release from Lynx explained that the bus will operate in a one-way loop through downtown Kissimmee via Dakin Street, Lakeview Drive, Patrick Street, Emmett Street, Church Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Rose Avenue, Oak Street, Central Avenue, Hilda Ave
Read more