The long-awaited widening of Alafaya Trail, the first phase of Innovation Way, is finally reaching a… well, a starting point. A beginning to begin of sorts. After having funding, then discussion over funding, then ironing out right-of-way issues, then applying for permitting, it appears that there is now a plan on how and when to start the project. In 2005, when Mayor Crotty presented his “Blueprint for Orange County’s Future,” the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved the project to design a four-lane widening of Alafaya Trail. At that time, private developers... Read more
For Lake Nona residents, a proposed fuel farm is not what they would consider their “field of dreams.” The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) has proposed to construct a field of fuel on a portion of nearly 1,300 acres designated for expansion of the Orlando International Airport (OIA) and has plans for clearing and filling wetlands on a site near the corner of State Road 528 and Narcoossee Road. This would place the project just a short distance from many residents back yard. The controversy has become so heated that a committee of concerned citizens was formed demanding changes... Read more
Anticipation for the Innovation Way project to be completed in its entirety is reaching a frenzied peak and motorists traveling in the area are shouting, “A little less talk and a lot more action!” Innovation Way South, (also known as the Moss Park extension) runs from the Beachline to the interchange at SR 417 at Moss Park Road, going through Innovation Place. Unfortunately, except for some work being done on the interchange, design and funding of this phase of Innovation Way has not allowed construction to begin. When completed, Innovation Way will stretch 17 miles between UCF... Read more
Jennifer Thompson, Co-Publisher of Insight Magazine. While it’s mostly the people that make Central Florida a great place to live, work and raise a family — certain factors out of our immediate control contribute to our overall quality of life. One of these factors is transportation and transportation planning. Below are some general observations related to transportation that I have made over the years and that I hope will get you, our readers, thinking about the importance of long-range strategic planning as it relates to building and sustaining our great community. Do you ever... Read more
<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –> Lynx buses. Love them or hate them, they are currently the only real source of public transportation available in Orlando. With more than 290 buses, the brightly painted people-movers can be seen all over town, shuttling residents of Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties along 65 different routes throughout 2,500 square miles of service area in Central Florida. But, one of the things that makes Lynx so unique, and controversial, is the fact that the system does not have a source of dedicated funding to service its... Read more
