SUMMER SCHOOL ZONE: The STAR Plan: Here's what you need to know

Photo by Rodrigo Barranco

Sunrise Movement Orlando, an advocacy group, created the Sunshine Transit Advancement Resolution, or STAR Plan, to study, secure funding for and develop rapid transit for eight high-volume transportation corridors. 

Miami-Dade County’s SMART Plan was the inspiration for the STAR Plan. 

The eight high-volume transportation corridors are divided into Colonial, Semoran, Silver Star, Sunshine Corridor (MCO-Disney), International, Orange Blossom, Kirkman and the current SunRail corridors. 

Two of the corridors will reach Ocoee, giving West Orange residents an access point to the transit system.

This grassroots initiative has goals of expanding the SunRail to evenings and weekends, increasing the speed of Lynx Buses and creating new rail and bus routes across Orange County.

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners will be voting on the plan in September and needs your support. However, does it deserve it?

I spoke with Windermere High alumnus and University of Florida civil engineering student Gabriel Gomes. Gomes said his passion for civil engineering stemmed from his love of the subway system in his hometown of Boston. Upon moving to Florida, he felt homesick.

“The first couple of years in Florida were really hard, because of the complete difference in how these areas were planned,” he said. “It felt as if I was in a whole new world, however, I couldn’t exactly place my finger on it. All I knew for sure was that I definitely missed the subway.” 

In Gomes’ spare time, he researched why he felt this way about Orlando, telling me that since the 1950s, automobiles have gained so much popularity that many neighborhoods purposefully were constructed to prioritize driving convenience above all else. 

As we have seen throughout Orange County, new neighborhoods are popping up everywhere, with Orange County’s population being estimated to increase by 700,000 people by 2050. With this rapid population growth, Orange County’s infrastructure will need to keep up. 

City Planners have fallen into exclusionary zoning, which means only one type of development could be made on an entire plot of land, and several houses aren’t allowed to be next to convenience stores, restaurants, or local shops and businesses. 

Even though this system of construction might seem desirable in the new age of driving and rapid population growth, it comes with many consequences. 

According to Gomes, traffic deaths never have been higher, pedestrians might feel unsafe because of the lack of walkability of these new places, climate change now has picked up speed, and traffic congestion surges. 

“Climate change continues to increase as every family member is forced to drive,” Gomes said. 

Furthermore, the cost of planting asphalt to create parking spots and roads in as many places as possible is indirectly placed onto families, increasing a lack of affordability. 

Central Florida has become so reliant upon car transportation, Orlando even has coined the nickname “Carlando” by some on social media. 

As a result of the dilemmas mentioned, Gomes is in full support of the STAR Plan. 

Sunrise Movement Orlando is seeking to construct a network of bus lanes and rails across Central Florida, bringing back proper mass transportation as a viable option to get around, eliminating any pedestrians’ fears and decreasing the amount of cars on the road. 

The STAR Plan also is in favor of rapid transit, including a transportation service that operates every 15 minutes, or sooner, and is separated from road traffic, as well as fast trains and buses. Gomes is not the only member of the Orange County community that is in support of this plan; many throughout the county are ready to say goodbye to car dependency. Among others, Gomes urges everyone to pay attention to their local elections and vote in support of the STAR Plan. 

Currently, the STAR Plan is the closest movement that would fulfill Gomes’ wishes of bringing safe, affordable and diverse transportation to the Central Florida area. 

To support the STAR Plan, visit the Sunrise Movement Orlando’s website, sunriseorlandofl.org.