 Transportation Update - Winter 2017
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Cmsr. Bob Dallari, Cmsr. Cheryl Grieb, Cmsr. Pete Clarke
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2018 Officers, Committee Chairs Chosen
The MetroPlan Orlando Board has elected Osceola County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb as chairman for 2018. Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke was elected as vice-chairman, and Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari will serve as secretary-treasurer. Cmsr. Grieb will preside at the first board meeting of the new year on Feb. 14, 2018
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Find out more here.
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Region to Test Smart Cities Programs
Central Florida will lead change in transportation technology, thanks to $11.9 million from the Federal Highway Administration, awarded to a team from Florida Department of Transportation, University of Central Florida, and MetroPlan Orlando to test smart cities transportation technologies and make recommendations, which could lead to national models.
Learn more here.
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SunTrax Coming to Polk
The region is constructing SunTrax, a test facility to be developed by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, Florida Polytechnic University, and industry partners for testing toll equipment, Connected Vehicle, and Autonomous Vehicle technology. Work is starting on a 2.2-mile oval track and infield testing area on 400 acres near the university in Polk County. Learn more here.
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LYNX Launches Four Apps
LYNX has rolled out four free mobile apps. LYNX Bus Tracker lets riders track a bus and its estimated arrival in real time. NeighborLink allows customers to book trips and receive arrival updates on mobile devices. LYNX See & Say encourages riders to communicate transit safety concerns. LYNX PawPass is a mobile payment app for bus fares.
Find out more here.
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TDLCB Holds Public Event
About 50 people attended the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board (TDLCB) public meeting to discuss ACCESS LYNX service. The meeting was held at the Marks Street Senior Recreation Complex. The TDLCB oversees the delivery of paratransit service to transportation disadvantaged users.
Learn more here.
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Sanford Offering Trolley
A new antique-style trolley provides free rides from Sanford's SunRail and Amtrak train stations to Sanford's Historic Welcome Center. Trolley stops also include the county services building, Sanford Museum, Marina Isle and several restaurants. When SunRail and Amtrak auto trains are not running, the trolley will run a loop through downtown Sanford.
See map and schedule here.
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BFF Gets Going in Osceola
Partners from local government, law enforcement, education and health recently launched the Best Foot Forward (BFF) initiative for pedestrian safety in Osceola County and the City of Kissimmee. Started in Orange County in 2012, BFF aims to improve driver yield rates for pedestrians through education, engineering, and enforcement at selected crosswalks.
More info about BFF.
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Executive Search Begins
As MetroPlan Orlando's Executive Director Harry Barley plans to retire this summer, the MetroPlan Orlando Board is beginning to conduct a search for a new director. An executive search consultant is expected to be selected in February to assist with the process. To see a detailed plan and calendar for the recruitment, which has been approved by the MetroPlan Orlando Board,
please click here.
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Courtesy of GOAA |
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Segments Will Connect
The Florida Cabinet has approved acquiring a 1.3-mile connection to the Shingle Creek Regional Trail. The 35.2-acre parcel joins two segments of the trail with recreational access to Shingle Creek Watershed and Lake Tohopekaliga. Once the segments are joined, the Shingle Creek Trail will connect Orlando and Kissimmee and offer access to the surrounding ecosystems.
Learn more here.
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3 Committee Seats Open
We have three vacancies on our Community Advisory Committee (CAC): one multimodal advocate and two non-voting alternates. The committee provides citizen input to the planning process and includes members from across the transportation spectrum, including bicyclists, pedestrians, drivers, and transit riders (bus and rail). For details on the committee and how to apply,
click here
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Airport Has New Parking
Orlando International Airport made a move to ease congestion by opening its new Automated People Mover (APM) complex and "C" parking garage before the holiday travel rush began. The new "C" garage and APM complex feature remote check-in and remote baggage check. The complex is located south of the main terminal building. To learn more about the new facility, and how you can use it, click here.
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Transportation: The Next Generation
We had a blast tapping into the energy of Boy Scouts and parents recently. MetroPlan Orlando staff spent a day at Central Florida Scouting Jamboree in Osceola Heritage Park, helping kids experience transportation planning. Using online tools, dozens of scouts who visited our table in the STEM area designed (and named) their own streets.
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Would you like to attend a meeting?
All our meetings are open to the public and are posted in our office and
on our website
. Upcoming meetings include:
Community Advisory Committee,
9:30am, Jan. 24
Transportation Systems Management & Operations Advisory Committee,
8:30am, Jan. 26
Technical Advisory Committee,
10am, Jan. 26
Municipal Advisory Committee,
9:30am, Feb. 8
MetroPlan Orlando Board,
9am, Feb. 11
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Links to Ongoing Project Websites
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Officers, Committee Chairs Are Recognized
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The MetroPlan Orlando Board has elected Osceola County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb as chairman for 2018. She served as 2017 vice-chairman.
"It's an honor to assume the leadership of MetroPlan for 2018 as the organization plays a key role in developing the region's transportation infrastructure," said Cmsr. Grieb. "I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members and MetroPlan staff in the coming year to push forward an effective regional transportation agenda."
Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke was elected as vice-chairman. He served as secretary-treasurer during 2017. He also serves as chair of the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board.
Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari will serve as secretary-treasurer. Cmsr. Dallari served as chairman in 2017.
In addition, the Board recognized the service of retiring committee chairs Tom O'Hanlon (Community Advisory Committee), Mary Moskowitz (Technical Advisory Committee), and Joedel Zaballero (Transportation Systems Management & Operations Committee).
Osceola County resident Atlee Mercer was recently elected Community Advisory Committee Chair, Orange County Chief Engineer Hazem El-Assar will be the new Technical Advisory Committee Chair, and City of Casselberry Engineer Kelly Brock will serve as Transportation Systems Management & Operations Committee chair.
The new officers will begin their duties in January. The first MetroPlan Orlando Board meeting in 2018 will be Feb. 14.
For more information about the MetroPlan Orlando Board and committees,
click here
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Mr. O'Hanlon, Ms. Zaballero, and Ms. Moskowitz
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Back to Top
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Region Will Test Smart Cities Transportation
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Central Florida will once again be leading change in transportation technology, thanks to an $11.9 million federal grant.
The Federal Highway Administration awarded the money to a team of experts from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the University of Central Florida (UCF), and MetroPlan Orlando to test several smart cities transportation technologies and make recommendations, which could lead to national models.
UCF will use its research capabilities and existing Smart Cities initiative to advance the project, while leading data collection and analysis. In addition to being liaison with state and federal governments, FDOT will ensure the project can be scaled appropriately for other locations and applications and will contribute software development, operations, and data management expertise. MetroPlan Orlando will make sure projects meet their intended purposes and will facilitate collaboration among agencies and local governments.
Intelligent transportation systems equipment will be installed on and around UCF's main campus. Among technologies to be tested:
- PedSafe -- pedestrian and bicycle collision avoidance system
- GreenWay -- advanced traffic signal technology
- SmartCommunity -- trip planning apps
- SunStore -- integrates FDOT data
The PedSafe system also will be tested in Pine Hills, a community that has faced significant challenges with pedestrian safety.
"This project puts Central Florida on the cutting-edge of technology in transportation - and it's only the beginning. Once the technology is tested, we can then take the lessons learned and expand it to all of Central Florida," said MetroPlan Orlando Executive Director Harry Barley.
Plans call for applying the technology into development of the Creative Village in Downtown Orlando, where UCF Downtown is under construction, along with office space, housing, commercial properties and facilities for Valencia College and Orange County Public Schools programs. Creative Village - catering to high-tech, digital media, and creative companies -- is adjacent to LYNX Central Station and SunRail and is served by LYMMO bus rapid transit, positioning it to be one of the largest transit-oriented developments in the Southeast.
For more information about the grant and the future projects, click here.
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