Citrus Connection Executive Director Tom Phillips and staff spent several days in Tallahassee this week, working with Florida Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, and other transportation and special-taxing-district officials to modify a bill that could have dissolved Citrus Connection and the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority.
“It still has a few impacts,” Phillips said Thursday afternoon at the end of the long drive back from the state Capitol. “The impacts, as it currently reads, are the longest an elected official could serve on LDDA and Citrus Connection boards goes from 16 years to 12 years. But there’s no lookback.”
As it was originally written, House Bill 7013 would have allowed voters every 10 years to dissolve the state’s independent special districts that levy taxes. Once voted on, the districts would have had to dissolve and liquidate their assets within 90 days.
The bill came about as part of the governor’s years-long feud with Walt Disney World and its special taxing district, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which he transformed into the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
The modifications keep dissolution off future ballots. The substitute bill passed the Ways & Means Committee this week, Phillips said.
The Lakeland Area Mass Transportation District has an overall budget of $26.4 million annually, with $14.4 million of that for Lakeland.
Boosting ridership with convenient shuttle services
The LAMTD Board heard several proposals at this month’s meeting to increase ridership, all while watching the legislature propose capping what the Florida Department of Transportation can spend on mass transit.
New proposals include:
- A circulator shuttle from downtown to Bonnet Springs Park.
- A local on-demand shuttle to Lakeland Linder International Airport, once commercial passenger service begins.
- And a park-and-ride shuttle service for people heading to Detroit Tigers’ Spring Training games.
Bonnet Springs Park
Citrus Connection newly minted Director of Strategic Planning Nicole McCleary said Citrus Connection is coordinating with Bonnet Springs Park about a shuttle to and from downtown.
“That would be something that would launch in the spring,” McCleary said. “So if you’re going downtown, you know you can go to the park.”
She said they are also going to be coordinating for special events like “Light Up Bonnet Springs Park,” which saw huge attendance. This year, people had to park in overflow lots near George Jenkins Boulevard and walk into the park.
Lakeland Linder Airport
McCleary is also working with Lakeland Linder Executive Director Kris Hallstrand to bring a mobile, on-demand shuttle to the airport once Avelo Airlines begins passenger service in the late spring.
“People who really need that discounted flight will get there without any kind of economic burden,” McCleary said. “Kris really wants to make sure people can get their Uber-type service.”
They are also discussing a shuttle for SUN ‘n FUN in March.
Spring Training
Finally, they discussed providing a shuttle from the Gow Fields Park & Ride lot at I-4 and U.S. 98, along with the parking lot at Target, to Joker Marchant Stadium for Detroit Tiger’s Spring Training games, which runs from Feb. 24 to March 24.
This year, if the board approves it at next month’s meeting, they plan on providing a pilot program for several games – the New York Yankees on Saturday, Feb. 24, Thursday March 14, and Saturday, March 23; the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, March 1 and Tuesday, March 19; and the Atlanta Braves on Friday, March 15.
People could park at the Northside Target or the Gow Fields Park & Ride lot and get picked up by the special shuttle. In addition, people taking the Flixbus from Tampa or Orlando would be dropped off at the Gow Fields lot and then take the shuttle to the baseball stadium.
“It’s door-to-door service,” Phillips said. “If you’re older, you’re not having to walk as much.”
Citrus Connection’s standard one-way fares would apply:
- Adults — $1.50
- Students — $1.25
- Seniors 65 years and older and the disabled — $.75
- Children ride free
“Fare rates may change – decrease — if we enter into partnerships on this venture,” McCleary said.
Expanded service to medical corridor
Phillips also extolled the success for the riders of the expanded service along several transportation corridors in Lakeland, including from North Lakeland to the medical corridor. The changes began Oct. 1.
“It’s a serious game changer if you live in North Lakeland — it’s going to cut half an hour off your trip each way,” said Phillips.
Phillips credited Lakeland’s Director of Planning and Transportation Chuck Barmby with developing the idea of having the northwest district’s blue line, which goes as far north as Banana Road, to take riders to the Gow Fields’s Park & Ride Lot, where they can transfer to the pink line and go directly to the medical corridor.
“It jogs over and for the first time in 44 years, North Lakeland doesn’t need to go all the way to the terminal at 200 South Florida Avenue to get to the medical corridor,” Phillips said.
They also increased the number of times buses come and go along several circulator routes, from once and hour to once every 45 minutes all day long. They used to cut back to once an hour after morning rush hour and pick up again for the afternoon rush hour.
Weekday hours of operation are 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Squeeze Shuttle adds lunchtime rides
In addition, the downtown Squeeze golf-cart shuttle, which serves about 300 people a night on Fridays and Saturdays, has added lunchtime rides from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Officials said 453 people rode the Lunch Squeeze in December.
LAMTD’s next meeting is on Feb. 14 at 8: 30 a.m. at 1212 George Jenkins Blvd., Lakeland, in the Hollingsworth Board Room.
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