Monroe County Transit: Existing Conditions Analysis

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Existing Conditions

2.1 Market Analysis Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, is a unique location that attracts affluent residents and millions of annual visitors from around the world. Despite— or because of—this affluence and tourism activity, a small but significant percentage of county residents rely on public transit. In addition to the lower-income, disabled, older and young adult residents that make up the core transit market everywhere, the county’s service and tourism industries employ thousands of seasonal workers, many of them with relatively low incomes.

These modest incomes combine with high housing prices to make it difficult for many of these workers to maintain a private vehicle, creating a significant potential market for public transit. The large number of visitors and need for connectivity from neighborhoods, hotels and resorts offers the opportunity for circulator buses and microtransit services to enhance the tourism experience in the Keys and provide a public amenity for County residents.

Figure 2.1:Key West Transit