Public transit funds are falling behind transportation needs

<p>A large gap exists between transportation needs and funds, Gainesville city commissioners learned last week in a two-hour-long workshop on the future of public transit in Alachua County.</p><p>In fact, the deficit for the 10-year transit plan is about $92 million, said Doug Robinson with Gainesville Regional Transit System last week.</p><p>On the wish list are improved routes, newer and more reliable buses, shorter waits between buses and some type of rapid transit.</p><p>Robinson said funding sources include a county surtax, property taxes, various sales taxes and possibly developer contributions.</p><p>Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan said work is under way to secure private and federal dollars for Gainesville's transit needs.</p><p>During the University of Florida's Homecoming weekend, Hanrahan met with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, a number of interested community members and developers interested in creating a bus rapid transit system in western Alachua County.</p><p>The meeting, held at the University of Florida President's House, is one of several pushes by the city and county to get federal dollars to match private investment by the developers of Newberry Village.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ed Poppel, UF vice president of administrative affairs, added a word of caution to the discussion of bus rapid transit systems and possibly even a trolley.</p><p>"It's still an infant system," Poppel said. "It's very fragile and if we don't keep our eye on the ball we could forget that we have 9 million riders who depend on us. We're missing some of the basic components of a quality transit system."</p><p>Poppel pointed to some things that were lacking, such as quality bus stops and shelters and reduced wait times between buses.</p><p><b>Downtown dog park:</b> Lynch Park, the tree shaded open space across from the St. Francis House shelter and soup kitchen, will soon become a dog park and plaza area.</p><p>Seeking a better use for the park, which police describe as being frequented by a criminal element, the Community Redevelopment Agency set an $85,000 budget to redesign the South Main Street park.</p><p>The northern part of the park will be a fenced in dog-run area, with various amenities for canines. The southern part of the park will be a plaza/garden area. Some lighting fixtures will be installed as well.</p><p>Work has begun on the park, and a temporary fence has enclosed the area, much to the chagrin of current park users.</p><p>Aside from the new uses, the park will also be renamed for its former owner, as Haisley Lynch Gardens.</p><p><b>Operation Medicine Cabinet:</b></p><p>As part of a national candlelight vigil in memory of those who have died from drug and alcohol addiction, a pharmaceutical collection event called Operation Medicine Cabinet is scheduled for downtownGainesville's Bo Diddley Community Plaza, 111 E. University Ave., starting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>The pharmaceutical "take back" program accepts and disposes of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs.</p>