ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — When a sales tax referendum failed back in November 2022 election it brought Orange County’s dreams of mass transit improvements to a screeching halt.

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Now the County Board and Mayor are trying to figure out a way to get the wheels turning again.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demmings said the way to bring the county into the future is by improving transportation.

That’s why he is moving forward with a new plan to use $100 million in existing funds incorporated from the next fiscal year’s budget to make the improvements countywide.

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Several proposals are on the table, Mayor Demmings said.

“At this point, we have to live within our means and so what will be advancing is a $100 million dollar proposal. The new plan will help the county accomplish about two percent of what they set out to do with their sales tax initiative,” said Demmings.

Demmings, who has been the mayor since 2018, said County lawmakers have taken a look at a plan from where incremental improvements could be made from existing funds.

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Demmings said some of the existing funds allow for pedestrian, bicycle, and motorist safety enhancements plus transit enhancement. It would target the problem across the county known as cash and speeding issues

Another $55 million would be earmarked to fund lighting and sidewalk improvements and nine other safety projects.

While another $45 million would be used to improve the consistency of existing Lynx transit by reducing wait times between buses from an hour to 30 minutes and adding more than 260 new bus stops.

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None of the projects mentioned are final at this point. They’ll be part of the upcoming budget discussion.

The mayor says another referendum to increase transportation funds isn’t off the table but they won’t decide on that for the next few months.

Traffic alert: Hole on Orange Avenue could cause morning slowdowns near Downtown Orlando (WFTV)

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