ORLANDO, Fla. – A newly formed citizen advisory board tasked with overseeing Orange County’s transportation issues held its first meeting Thursday evening, following voter approval of its funding in last November’s general election.

The Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission was established after the failure of a proposed half-cent sales tax, which county officials had hoped would fund large-scale infrastructure projects.

Eric Grimmer, the commission’s chairperson, said his main objective is to develop a “modern, balanced, multimodal transportation system” that meets the needs of Orange County’s growing population.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings opened the meeting, emphasizing the critical role the commission will play in addressing the region’s transportation challenges.

“We want to welcome all of you,” Demings said, acknowledging the historic nature of the voter-mandated committee.

Demings highlighted the county’s struggle to keep pace with its 1.5 million residents and 74 million annual visitors.

“That means a lot of traffic coming through our county,” Demings said. “We are a central part of the state, we are the fastest-growing state in the union, and all of that puts pressure on our infrastructure.”

Grimmer stressed the importance of connecting residents with local government to address transportation concerns in their communities.

When asked about transportation options for low-income residents, Grimmer emphasized the need for investment.

“Owning a car has always been expensive, but it’s just gotten more and more expensive,” he said.

Residents also urged the commission to consider alternative solutions to Central Florida’s traffic congestion.

“It can be easy to fall into old habits and keep doing things the way they’ve always been done,” one member of the public said. “To keep shaping everything in our lives around cars and only cars.”

The Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission is scheduled to meet again at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13. The public is invited to attend and provide input. More information can be found on the Orange County government website.

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