TAVARES — The Lake County Board of County Commissioners approved this month route changes to LakeXpress, the County’s public transportation service, which will go into effect on Monday, March 16.
The Lake County Department of Community Services, Public Transportation Division, proposed changes to LakeXpress routes 1 and 3. Public comments regarding the proposed changes were taken at the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting on Jan. 28. Additionally, comments on the proposed changes were taken through the Public Transportation and MPO offices.
“These route changes are designed to improve the on-time performance of the system,” said Ken Harley, Director of the Lake County Public Transportation Division. “Suggestions for route changes were identified during meetings with drivers and from comments received from concerned citizens.”
Changes in the routes consisted of eliminating the stop on the YMCA property on David Walker Road and relocating it to the corner of David Walker and Dora Avenue on Route 1 (Lady Lake to Eustis route). The second change is eliminating the portion of Route 3 the runs along Eudora Road and Mount Dora Road going into Eustis and instead have the bus remain on U.S. Highway 441 to State Road 19 then to the transfer location on Ardice Avenue in Eustis. Updated LakeXpress route maps will be available to view on March 16 by logging on to www.RideLakeXpress.com.
LakeXpress operates Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. and buses run every hour from The Villages to Eustis with circulator routes in the downtowns of Leesburg and Mount Dora. Fares for LakeXpress are $1 for all trips. Half-fares are available for students with valid IDs, riders 60 years or older and individuals with disabilities (buses are equipped with lifts). Free fares are available for children under five years of age, who are accompanied by a fare-paying chaperone.
For more information about LakeXpress or to view a bus schedule, call (352) 326-8637 or log on to www.RideLakeXpress.com.