The Florida Department of Environmental Protection introduced a new pilot reservation program at Wekiwa Springs State Park to help with traffic congestion and overcrowding in the park. The entrance lines to get into the park have been known to block roadways hours prior to Wekiwa opening.
FDEP’s Sarah Fayed said the department is hopeful that this will help visitors have a better experience entering the park, and help cut down traffic for locals in the area.
“It affects everyone on the roads, whether they're visiting the park or they're just driving on by as many people do in that growing area,” Fayed said. “We're hoping that with this system where the vehicles showing up are ones that are guaranteed to have their parking space, that that will dramatically cut down on the congestion that's been happening on that road.”
Instead of paying for parking when guests arrive, the pilot program includes prepaid parking which secures a guest’s spot at Wekiwa. Reservations can be made 60 days in advance, and can be made the day of if spots aren’t filled. The pilot program begins March 12 and runs through September 1.
In the past decade, Wekiwa has seen over 400,000 visitors each year. Fayed said during peak visitation months, usually between May and August, the Wekiva can draw anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 visitors.
For guests who want to make reservations for birthdays or group events with more than one vehicle, Fayed said guests will need to call Wekiva staff directly.
Feedback on the program is encouraged by FDEP. Fayed said the department is trying to spread the word to anyone visiting the parks about the pilot program. A sign is now at Wekiva towards the entrance with a QR code and a link to reserve a spot in both English and Spanish.
“The idea is that no one is going to be blindsided by this program, and that it will only serve to benefit visitors,” Fayed said. “That's why we're just hoping to get the word out so everyone knows and can go ahead and preserve their spot.”
