Lee County trying to get more residents to use public transportation

Lee County wants to know what it will take to get residents to use public transportation more frequently instead of using their personal vehicles. So much so that they have plans for a big study to find out what it will take.

The big question is, is it worth the price tag? Bringing in an outside consultant would cost about a half-million dollars.

Out of the roughly 15 people, we spoke to about the Lee Transit, a couple said they have used the free trolly’s before but that’s about it.

“I have not used the transit other than coming downtown Friday and Saturday…sometimes I’ll get on this little trolley you know,” Lee County resident Richard Kroeze said.

Another person we spoke to said they would be more likely to use it if there were more accessible stops closer to her work and home.

“Like I wouldn’t mind using it if I knew that it would you know pick me up almost exactly where I live and drop me off like where I work. That would be something I would do but it would have to be safer, they would have to be more reliable,” said Lee County resident, Rafid Mousa.

While many people do rely on it, for others it is just not a convenient option.

The money for the project would come entirely from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Over nine months the consultants would talk to the riders and bus drivers about any concerns, take a look at current bus routes, and figure out what improvements can be made to each one.

Lee County says the population nears one million, the big goal over the next decade is to attract new riders and make it a more common way to get around and cut back on traffic.

If commissioners sign off on the plan the consultants should have everything done by September.