POLK COUNTY, Fla. — It's a major win for transportation in east Polk County.
- Express route set to run six times per day in each direction
- Routes will begin October 1
- Should alleviate traffic on Highway 27
- More Polk County headlines
Citrus Connection plans to offer the Loughman area bus service for the first time, as well as a new express route along Highway 27, stopping in Lake Wales, Dundee, Lake Hamilton, and Haines City.
There has never been a route connecting these neighboring cities.
"It's the biggest single expansion of public transportation in east Polk County since Winter Haven area transit was created in the early 90s. It's a really big deal," said Citrus Connection Executive Director Tom Phillips.
The routes will begin October 1. The express route is set to run six times a day in each direction.
Dundee resident Beverly Edwards said she can't wait to tell her friends.
"It would be such a great pleasure that you don't have to drive because I'm an older lady too. So I would get on the bus and go to the store, go to the doctor's as I mentioned and to any of these places. I would be so happy to see a bus in our area. I would be so ecstatic to see a bus here," said Beverley Edwards.
Edwards moved to the area several years ago and was surprised there was hardly any public transportation available. Right now, Dundee only has bus service to Eagle Ridge Mall and Winter Haven.
Edwards lives with five other adults, many of them seniors and not all of them drive. She spends a lot of her time chauffeuring her relatives around.
The leaders of the cities in eastern Polk County formed the East Polk County Advocacy Board and fought for the new routes. They said they hope this new bus route will help reduce traffic congestion on Highway 27.
"We have hundreds of individuals moving to Polk County on a daily basis," said Haines City Mayor Morris West. "Probably 80 percent of them are moving to the east Polk county area, so it's impacting our roads."
"(Highway) 27 is as bad, if not worse at certain times of the day than I-4. So they need to alleviate traffic congestion. And one way to do that is to put people on buses rather than put them in their personal cars," said Phillips.
Phillips said each route cost $330,000. The county is providing most of the funding, which the city leaders said they are thankful for.
State and federal grants will kick in and the cities still have to pay a portion in order to everything to go as planned.
Fares are $1.50 each way or $3 for an all day pass. Seniors, students, and children ride for half that amount.