Rush-hour traffic to/from Downtown (closing, maintenance, live)

[annerk]

I'd also consider College Park, no need to get on an Interstate at all from there.

Lake Eola and Thornton Park might even be walkable depending on exactly where you are working.

[totsuka]

I think BP is a good choice too. Some areas of WP, depending on the age of the home, might fit your needs.

[TedTLPN]

If you HAVE to work downtown, and REALLY like the idea of living in Lake Mary, I would suggest taking a bicycle down 17/92. It would be about as fast, and you get exercise as well. Personally, I find jobs near where I live, but then again I'm in a field where that tends to be easier.

[kyle19125]

There is another option of getting to downtown other than I-4. The 417 Toll south from Lake Mary to the 408 Toll west is further, but traffic moves at a much faster clip (65mph speed limit on the 417, traffic averages 70-75) with no congestion. If you really like Lake Mary it might be worth checking out.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Kyle is right that you could get to downtown using that alternate route, but you have to factor in the additional miles, fuel consumption, vehicle wear and tear, and so on. Truth be told, this thread highlights the importance of a North-South commuter rail that provides commuters in the suburbs along I-4 the option of a short drive to a station, and a quick, stress free ride into town. Perhaps, the job density would increase not only in downtown, but along the entire route of the system so that somebody could work in Altamonte Springs or Winter Park yet live in Deland.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Kyle is right that you could get to downtown using that alternate route, but you have to factor in the additional miles, fuel consumption, vehicle wear and tear, and so on. Truth be told, this thread highlights the importance of a North-South commuter rail that provides commuters in the suburbs along I-4 the option of a short drive to a station, and a quick, stress free ride into town. Perhaps, the job density would increase not only in downtown, but along the entire route of the system so that somebody could work in Altamonte Springs or Winter Park yet live in Deland.

100% agreed. Light rail or BRT especially (Bus rapid transit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) would alleviate a lot of congestion and improve quality of life significantly in Seminole County. BRT would also be a much quicker fix and way more economical.

[Crane's Rooster]

Sunrail is meant to address this exact need.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Yeah Kyle good point, Lynx could start BRT immediately while SunRail is being built as a "primer" of sorts for rail.

Originally Posted by kyle19125

100% agreed. Light rail or BRT especially (Bus rapid transit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) would alleviate a lot of congestion and improve quality of life significantly in Seminole County. BRT would also be a much quicker fix and way more economical.

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Sunrail is meant to address this exact need.

I know but sadly, SunRail is on death row while Governor Alienface tries to score political points with the folks out in the Villages, Eustis, and just about every other rural place that doesn't care what happens in urban areas. Oh sure, they're happy to subsidize road building and FDOT though gas tax and such, but god forbid we help the major cities alleviate traffic, reduce carbon emissions, and minimize the ecological impact of sprawl. I live in the southern most portion of Seminole County so I can handle the grind it out 20-30 minute ride into downtown, however my buddy who moved out to Deland drives 50 minutes without traffic and upwards of 1.5-2 hours during rush.

[annerk]

Lynx could NOT start BRT "immediately." It would take six months to get it planned, a year to get the funding from the FTA and state/local governments, six months to write a bid spec and get it published for the procurement of the buses, and 18 months to wait for delivery of the buses after an order was placed.

Using existing buses would require them to impact exiting routes.

I'm not saying BRT is bad, it's a less expensive option then light rail that can be flexed as ridership habits and population centers shift, but it's not something that happens overnight.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Yeah Kyle good point, Lynx could start BRT immediately while SunRail is being built as a "primer" of sorts for rail.

I know but sadly, SunRail is on death row while Governor Alienface tries to score political points with the folks out in the Villages, Eustis, and just about every other rural place that doesn't care what happens in urban areas.

It's different buckets of funding. The problem with SunRail was that it was expensive and was only going to serve a very small population while affecting everyone's wallet.

Lynx and FDOT could offer the same level of service by implementing BRT at a mere fraction of the cost and a much, much lower environmental impact.