Message from Commissioner Aaronson

September 4, 2009

Sheila, my staff - Mary Lou, Vivian and Meaghan, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Jewish constituents a Happy and Healthy New Year.

The renovation of the library on Glades Road will begin shortly.  The County Commission approved the contract at its September 1st meeting.  The library will be the same friendly, familiar place that we had but with a brand new fresh look.  The interior will be completely renovated including painting, new carpet, new lighting and new restroom facilities.  In addition to the features that existed before, there will also be more computers, new group and individual study rooms and a dedicated Teen room.  I look forward to welcoming you back when we have the Grand Reopening early next summer.

The road that will connect the northern, central and southern portions of South County Regional Park is scheduled to be officially opened later this month.  This is a two-lane road with a bike path on each side that will let residents enter the Park from either Yamato Road or Glades Road making it much easier to get to the different areas of the park without having to drive all the way around.

You may have read in the newspaper that Palm Tran has discontinued several of the Link routes due to poor ridership.  It is unfortunate.  However, I am delighted that the Magenta and Purple Links have proven so popular that Palm Tran will continue the service for the residents of District 5.  The Magenta Link runs on Mondays from 9:00am to 6:00pm and travels from Atlantic Ave. and Jog Rd. to Lyons Rd. and Yamato Rd.  It includes service to Kings Point and Century Village.  The Purple Link runs on Tuesdays from 9:00am to 6:00pm from Oriole Plaza at Atlantic Ave to Boynton Beach Blvd. and   Military Trail.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Link, it is a service that stops at shopping locations, medical centers and connects to existing Palm Tran routes.  It deviates up to three-quarters of a mile from its planned routes for scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs.  There are scheduled stops in addition to “flag down” locations along the route.  Trips can be scheduled 72 hours in advance and all vehicles are ADA accessible.  For more information, contact my staff, visit Palm Tran’s website, www.palmtran.org and click on Palm Tran THE LINK or call Palm Tran at 561-649-9838.           

Finally, I want to commend Palm Tran for two awards it received from the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.  Palm Tran Connection was recognized as the 2009 Urban Community Transportation Coordinator of the Year as the best paratransit service in Florida for its outstanding performance, service delivery and cost effectiveness.  Palm Tran Connection also earned the 2009 Innovation of the Year Award for its role in operating THE LINK.  THE LINK was cited for offering greater mobility options for residents in areas where fixed-route service is not accessible and for serving as an alternative method of transportation for paratransit riders.