A transit activist has filed a suit against FDOT, which used a a one-page study to justify removing a dedicated bus lane.
Three experts consulted by the Tampa Bay Times concluded that a one-page study used by the Florida Department of Transportation to justify the removal of a dedicated bus lane in St. Petersburg, reports Shauna Muckle in the Tampa Bay Times.
The three experts said the study, which cited a 40 percent increase in crashes on Pasadena Avenue between the period of 2020-2021 and 2023-2024, was “incomplete” and “not fair.” According to the article, the state’s data does not indicate whether buses were involved in crashes, as well as other indicators and contributing factors. Additionally, the 2020-2021 data from the height of the pandemic is not indicative of typical traffic.
Transit activist Garett Marple of Activate St. Pete has filed a formal complaint, arguing that FDOT broke state law by using such a limited study and that local governments are required to conduct traffic studies before implementing similar changes to bus lanes. However, the case is not expected to reverse FDOT’s decision, and could ultimately only result in fines.
Read the full story: FDOT study used to scrap SunRunner lane ‘incomplete,’ ‘unfair’, experts say
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