The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Hillsborough County Area Regional Transit

Land O’ Lakes gets a bus circulator route

By

Local buses will begin making stops along the first circulator route to serve Land O’ Lakes.

For the first week, from May 22 to May 27, rides will be free.

A ribbon cutting ceremony at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park at 5104 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., will take place May 18 at 9 a.m. Ceremonies will be in the pavilion by the southwest corner of the parking lot.

Riders can try out the first Land O’ Lakes circulator route for free, from May 22 through May 27.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

Buses will run hourly, but service to a few stops, such as the Florida Hospital at Connerton and the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, will be intermittent.

The route will circulate from County Line Road to Central Boulevard, and will follow State Road 54 to Collier Parkway. Passengers can transfer to the Pasco County Public Transit buses on Route 54 to reach other parts of the county.

Pasco County commissioners are committed to a strong transportation system that connects people with government agencies, parks, schools, shopping and jobs, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, in a press release from the county.

“The new Route 41 is another example of that commitment,” Moore said.

Stops along the way will include Walmart, the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the post office and Land O’ Lakes High School. A stop at the Target Super Store on North Dale Mabry Highway will allow passengers to transfer to buses operated by the Hillsborough County Area Regional Transit system, known as HART.

The Land O’ Lakes circular route is the third new route in 2017. Estimated costs were about $300,000 for annual operating costs, and a one-time purchase of a bus for about $110,000.

Two other new routes along State Road 54 and in the Moon Lake area of New Port Richey already are operating.

Published May 17, 2017

Land O’ Lakes buses to roll out in May

By

Land O’ Lakes residents can soon step aboard buses on a special circular route through the community.

By May 22, Pasco County expects to begin the new route. A tentative ribbon cutting will be on May 18 at a bus stop at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The first buses would roll a few days later.

A Land O’ Lakes circulator bus route is scheduled to begin by May 22.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

The announcement came at a March 9 board meeting of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization in Dade City.

Previously, county officials had hoped to begin the route in March.

“This is going to be another win for Pasco County,” said Kevin Hoyt, the county’s transportation operations manager. “We are all extremely excited.”

The route will move north on U.S. 41 with bus stops that include the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, the post office, Land O’ Lakes High School and the detention center.

A loop eastward along State Road 54 will have stops at Collier Commons and the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library.

There also will be a stop at the Target Super Store on North Dale Mabry Highway, where riders can transfer to buses operated by the Hillsborough County Area Regional Transit system, known as HART.

The Land O’ Lakes circulator route is one of three the county put on its 2017 list of capital improvement projects.

Estimated costs for the circulator route were about $300,000 a year for operations, and a one-time purchase of a bus at a cost of about $110,000.

Two other routes along State Road 54 and in the Moon Lake area of New Port Richey already are operating.

Published March 22, 2017