Ridesharing can reshape transportation infrastructure
It’s Mobility Week in Florida, a week invented right here in Orlando that is aimed at raising awareness for multi-modal transportation choices and uncovering transit solutions.
It’s no secret that Orlando has experienced an increase in population in recent years, and now, commuters across Orlando are spending an average of 57 hours stuck in traffic annually.
We continue to have a flourishing economy thanks to our tourism and hospitality industry that brought in a record 75 million visitors last year, and the U.S. Census Bureau ranks our lively downtown among the fastest growing cities in the U.S.
These are impressive achievements, but our current transportation infrastructure needs to start integrating multimodal solutions.
Fortunately, the city and its transportation partners are seeking and developing solutions that involve more than just our city leaders, but private-sector partners, too.
Central Florida is proving itself to be among the most progressive and forward-looking regions in the country when it comes to planning investments and infrastructure.
Orlando’s Smart City initiative is a high-reaching goal with a mission to build an infrastructure that will support safer, cleaner, and more efficient travel for our community.
However, there’s a key factor missing in the initiative, and that’s a focus on people.
As the urban population increasingly utilizes ridesharing, city leaders should be looking to partner with these companies for solutions, considering that rideshare companies are now providing millions of rides each day.
It’s these companies, like Lyft, that recognize the need to build cities around people, not cars.
Companies that seek to connect individuals to sustainable and accessible transportation solutions for the whole community and advocate for a cleaner environment through electric vehicles, renewable energy, and carbon offsets.
It’s through these mindful undertakings that we find longterm solutions to reach our Smart City goal.
So far, Orlando has made steady progress toward transportation solutions downtown by opening two public rideshare hubs on weekends to provide centralized pick up and drop off locations for patrons enjoying bars, restaurants, and shows.
The rideshare hubs have been a success due to a crucial focus on people, prioritizing a better downtown experience and improvement on pedestrian safety. With that emphasis at the forefront, a natural result has lessened congestion and confusion during pick-ups over late-night hours.
As our city adds roughly 1,500 new residents each week and our tourism industry continues to thrive, it’s no question that those of us who live, work and raise our families here deserve the best solution to our transportation troubles.
Mayor Buddy Dyer even emphasized transit options as crucial to improving our city during his annual State of Downtown speech earlier this month.
It’s encouraging to see Orlando leading the charge for forward-thinking ideas, but let’s not forget about solutions that are already making an impact across our city.
Let’s do more than just connect point A to point B, but make our community a better place for future generations.
It’s time for transportation to be more than just vehicles — it’s time to identify long-term solutions that start with our people to keep our city thriving.