Lawsuit Claims Florida Bus Lane Removal was Illegal

A Florida transit advocate has filed an ethics complaint against the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) over the agency’s decision to remove a dedicated bus lane used by the SunRunner bus rapid transit route, reports Janelle Irwin Taylor in Florida Politics.

According to Taylor, “The complaint does not specifically reference language in Florida law relating to repurposing traffic lanes. But legislation approved in 2024 (HB 1301) requires “any project that will repurpose one or more existing traffic lanes” to include “a traffic study to address any potential adverse impacts of the project” and hold at least one public meeting “before completing the design phase of the project.”” It is unclear if a one-page document provided by FDOT justifying the change counts as a study. 

A spokesperson for FDOT said the agency “routinely performs post-construction reviews of lane repurposing projects across the state to assess whether they are achieving their intended outcomes.” The agency cites an increase in crashes along the state-owned part of the route as its reasoning for reversing the bus lane to general purpose. 

Data obtained by Florida Politics shows that crashed decreased on city-owned portions of the SunRunner route compared to pre-Covid years. “In 2018, there were 284 crashes reported along the corridor. There was actually an increase in crashes in 2023 (303), but there was a decrease in 2024 (262).” Taylor adds, “Additionally, a PSTA report released in September 2024 evaluating SunRunner performance before and after traffic signal optimization found significant reduction in travel times along the route, including average rate of travel and cumulative stop delays.”

As Taylor points out, “Because Marple’s complaint was filed with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, it is unlikely to impact the outcome of BAT lanes on Pasadena Avenue.” The board could impose discipline if it finds a violation, but does not dictate state transportation policy.