Hernando‑Citrus MPO hears Citrus County transit plan; board members question cost and alternatives

A consultant for Benesch on Aug. 7 presented Citrus County's draft 10‑year Transit Development Plan to the Hernando‑Citrus Metropolitan Planning Organization board, outlining service realignments, a proposed cross‑county shuttle and a cumulative cost estimate of "a little bit more than $40,000,000," with about $11,000,000 noted as capital costs.

Kayla Hutton, the Benesch consultant who led the presentation, said the TDP is "not a budget. It's not a capital improvement program. It's not a binding agreement" but a strategic plan intended to meet Florida Department of Transportation requirements and guide Citrus County and FDOT programming. She said the plan responds to outreach and data showing strong ridership gains on the county's deviated fixed route system: a 77% increase from 2022 to 2024, compared with under a 10% population increase in the same period, and roughly a 20% increase in door‑to‑door ridership.

Hutton summarized public engagement and the plan's priorities: more frequent service (moving several routes from roughly every two hours to 60‑minute headways), extended weekday service until about 9 p.m., a limited Saturday schedule (proposed 9 a.m.–3 p.m.),…