ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County commissioners are expected to vote on a proposal that could set the stage for a new rapid-transit system across the county.
The Sunshine Transit Advancement Resolution, known as the STAR Plan, would prioritize eight transit corridors and begin the process of developing a feasibility study.
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The study would examine what the system could look like, how much it would cost and how it could be funded.
“The STAR Plan is a bus rapid transit route that will run across the entire urban core of Orange County to get people to where they need to go fast, affordable and safe,” Orange County Vice Mayor Dr. Kelly Martinez Semrad said.
The plan would initially focus on bus rapid transit, with the potential to eventually expand to light rail and heavy rail.
The long-term goal is for one in three residents to live within a 15-minute walk of rapid transit, according to county leaders.
Martinez Semrad said the county needs to consider multiple funding options, including tax-increment financing districts, also known as TIFs.
“What we need to do is look at not just the tax-increment financing, but also all other financially feasible models that could work to support transit in Orange County,” she said.
The feasibility study would help determine the total cost of the proposed network and how much each potential financing model could contribute, Martinez Semrad said.
The proposal comes as Orange County continues to grow, increasing traffic and commute times and putting additional pressure on the county’s transportation system.
A recent ConsumerAffairs report ranked Orlando eighth-worst in the country for public transportation.
Commissioners are expected to vote on the STAR Plan during their meeting Tuesday.
