February was another busy month for us:
- We joined forces with Orlando YIMBY to bring together nearly fifty passionate transit and housing advocates.
- We had first Board meeting since we relaunched in 2022.
- We continued to speak up and speak out at public hearings and in the media.
But first, we want to invite you to join our Slack channel if you want to be more active with our organization and chat with other local transit enthusiasts.
What Is This, a Crossover Episode?
Transit and housing are deeply connected, which is why we partner with YIMBY to advocate for dense walkable neighborhoods to support effective and frequent transit.
Our passionate people chatted it up over IPAs at Ivanhoe Park Brewing on Feb. 22, infrequently interrupted by passing trains since SunRail only has 2 trips past 7PM.
If you missed it, look out for future mixers sponsored by us and our coalition partners.
Board Meeting Kickoff
Our new board members and CFL4Transit founder David Thomas Moran kicked off our first meeting of 2022 by learning about the challenges of expanding state Amtrak service with a presentation from our partners at Floridians for State-Funded Passenger Rail.
If interested, you can review the slide deck at our Learning Center.
Media Appearances
Our co-chair Naqiy Mcmullen teamed up with the President of Orlando Bike Coalition, Tim Hayes, to go in-depth on Greater Orlando’s transportation challenges on the Spectrum News podcast: Beyond the Soundbite. You can also listen on Spotify Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Mcmullen was also the subject of a Spectrum News Report chronicling his challenges as a regular LYNX rider and explaining why we must up zone for denser housing and walkable neighborhoods near transit.
“Single-family home [areas] just do not have the population density to support transit use,” Mcmullen said, echoing public policy research that shows it’s not cost-effective to build up public transit in areas where fewer people live”
What We’re Reading
Accelerate vision for SunRail’s future | Orlando Sentinel Editorial
“Most of those involved in SunRail agree on basic goals:
- The extension of night and weekend routes to serve tourists and hospitality workers.
- Connectivity to other transit systems
- Identification of future stations. “
Wall Street Devastated America. One City Is Pushing Back
“With its subtropical climate and proximity to Disney World, Orlando, Florida has become one of America’s fastest growing cities — but it has a big problem: It is one of the largest mass transit deserts in the United States”
LYNX Service Changes
LYNX is conducting Community Outreach for their April 2022 Service Proposal.
The changes are mostly minor, but we are happy to see the I-4 Express lanes used for direct service to Universal and Disney, as well as extending link 104 to Colonial Plaza Superstop, which will improve connectivity for east Orlando bus riders.
Attend in-person or virtual workshops to learn more and provide input.
In-person: March 1: 4-5 p.m. (Workshop), 5-6 p.m. (Hearing) LYNX Central Station – 2nd Floor Open Space
Virtually: March 2: 5-6 p.m. (Workshop), 6-7 p.m. (Hearing)
Passcode: 852556