I appreciate the frustration behind Mr. Comptois’ letter because he’s right about one thing. Ocala’s traffic problems aren’t going away on their own. But calling for a subway system in a city our size just isn’t feasible. Subways require enormous population density, billions in excavation and engineering, and a ridership base that Ocala simply doesn’t have.
What we do have is a growing community with almost no meaningful public transit. Even SunTran, our only real option, was recently looking at reducing service because ridership is so low. That’s not a sign that people don’t need transportation. It’s a sign that the system we currently have isn’t meeting people where they are or offering routes and schedules that actually solve daily needs.
Our traffic problem isn’t something we can fix with one big idea. We fix it by planning smarter. That means improving road infrastructure, adding turn lanes and alternate corridors, and creating walkable, mixed-use development instead of stacking endless subdivisions on two-lane roads. It also means making sure growth happens at a pace our roads, schools, and services can handle…