Despite Lakeland’s growth, its traffic rankings have remained relatively steady over the last few years. | Photo by LALtoday
According to data from the INRIX 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard, Swan City ranked No. 83 for congestion in the US. These rankings were based on three years of travel delay comparisons, costs of congestion to drivers, and commuting trends based on metro area traffic patterns.
Here’s a breakdown of Lakeland’s 2024 traffic by the numbers:
No. 477 — Lakeland’s congestion rank out of 900+ cities worldwide, compared to No. 83 in the US alone.
20 — The amount of hours Lakelanders lost in congestion
$358 — The cost of congestion per driver
37 miles per hour — Lakelanders’ average vehicle speed during peak traffic times, compared to 46 miles per hour during low traffic times
In other words, we’re sharing the roads with more people calling Lakeland home, so give yourself plenty of time and find a good playlist.
Events
Events
Thursday, Feb. 13
Galentine’s Build a Bouquet Workshop | 7 p.m. | Amelia Paige Boutique Lakeside Village | $70 | Taylormade Floral Design will teach you how to craft your own floral arrangement while you indulge in wine and chocolates.
Line Dancing in the Backyard | 7-9 p.m. | Keel Farms, Plant City | Free | These boots were made for dancing — two-step over to this winery for lessons under the stars.
“Anastasia” | Thursday, Feb. 13-Sunday, Feb. 16 | Times vary | Theatre Winter Haven, Winter Haven | $36 | Journey to the past one last time this weekend as local actors perform this musical based on the beloved film.
Friday, Feb. 14
Cupid’s Night Out | 5-9 p.m. | Lakeside Village | Free+ | Love songs will play as you shop a Valentine’s-themed vendor market and create a flower bouquet with your sweetheart.
Valentine’s Day Dinner at Eala’s Speakeasy | 6-10 p.m. | Frescos Southern Kitchen & Bar | $150 | Snag your partner a ticket to this five-course wine pairing dinner with passed h’ors doeuvres, live music, and a post-dinner social hour.
“Tootsie” | Friday, Feb. 14-Sunday, March 2 | Times vary | Lakeland Community Theatre | $30 | It’s opening night for this musical comedy based on the motion picture that starred Dustin Hoffman.
Saturday, Feb. 15
Ask a Master Gardener | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Free | Find the UF/IFAS Extension Polk County booth to ask a gardening pro your budding questions.
PlatformKIDS Art Festival | 1:30-3 p.m. | Florida Children’s Museum | $16 | Polk County students will showcase their artwork, from visual media to film, fashion, music, and performance art.
Sunday, Feb. 16
Jigsaw Puzzle Competition | 1:45-4:15 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library | Free | Teams of up to four people will work to complete a 500-piece puzzle in 120 minutes — will yours be the winner?
Purr & Popcorn: Movie Night Series | 6 p.m. | Kitty Cat Lounge | $15 | Bring a blanket and grab free popcorn + a beverage for a showing of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” in the cat room.
Did you know? Spring Training’s economic impact is $45 million in Lakeland and $753 million in the State of Florida. | Photos via Visit Central Florida/Flickr
While we’ve got traffic on the brain, save these pro tips for when you attend a Detroit Tigers Spring Training game. City officials are advising fans to allot an additional hour of travel time due to the construction on Lakeland Hills Boulevard — check this map for the most efficient routes.
Number
2,078. That’s around how many contributing structures exist across Lakeland’s seven historic districts. ICYMI, the City of Lakeland is in the process of resurveying the Dixieland and Munn Park districts. The survey should not impact home or business owners + work is expected to be complete by Wednesday, Feb. 19. (LkldNow)
Civic
“Text me, beep me, if you wanna reach me.” We imagine that’s the theme song for Polk County’s FYI Polk service, which connects residents with the county government’s virtual assistant via text at no charge. Questions will be forwarded to the appropriate department + followed up on during regular business hours.
Community
Local health organizations will host a family wellness event at Bartow’s W.H. Stuart Center on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Attend from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. for informational discussions, including a keynote speech by Lakeland Regional Health’s Dr. Daniel Haight. (The Ledger)
Biz
After opening its doors last month, Market on Kentucky has quickly become a downtown hotspot — especially during the farmers market on Saturdays. Pro tip: Owner Tina Calhoon shared that the market is still looking for vendors. Learn how you can set up shop. (LkldNow)
Try This
If you’re ready to enter your bread-baking era, register for Parkesdale Market’s Basic Sourdough Starter classes on Saturday, March 22 or Saturday, April 5. Each $25 ticket includes a hands-on workshop to learn the lingo + maintenance techniques, plus a dehydrated starter, rehydration instructions, and a recipe for a loaf.
Feel Good
Here’s something to “raise the roof” for: Musick Roofing of Lakeland announced that it will provide free roof replacements to five PCPS employees after their homes sustained damage during Hurricane Milton. Just wait until you see their reactions.
Plan Ahead
SUN ‘n FUN’s 51st expo will be held April 1-6. Make the most out of your visit by securing tickets early for special events throughout the week, like the Women ACEs Breakfast honoring women in aviation on Wednesday, April 2. Need more itinerary inspiration?Here’s what we did last year.
Edu
Two is better than one. Polk State College will host open houses on each of its campuses this spring, where prospective students can learn about available programs and even enter to win scholarships. Save the date for the Lakeland event on Thursday, April 3, 5-7 p.m.
Family
Spring is in the air, and so is the smell of hot dogs. Baseball season is right around the corner, along with a beloved LAL tradition. The Detroit Tigers’ Spring Training season starts on Feb. 22. Score tickets.*
Home
How much did you spend on home repairs last year? The average homeowner shells out nearly $6,000 annually on upkeep — but some of these costs can be offset by a home warranty. American Home Shield is now offering $150 off their plans. See important disclaimers on web.*
Category
Tech
Boom, roasted
Some say... cough, ChatGPT, cough... that Lakeland’s weather is unpredictable. | Photo by @emnoel_
In the spirit of good-natured humor, we asked ChatGPT — the online AI chatbot that uses natural language processors to generate text-based responses — to provide a roast of all things Lakeland.
Here’s what it had to say, if you can handle it.
Editor’s note: Everything within the brackets below was a response from ChatGPT based on our prompts for a lighthearted roast of Lakeland. Responses have been edited for brevity. Ah, Lakeland. First of all, let’s talk about the lakey-ness of it all. This town really leans into its water-based theme — Lake Mirror, Lake Morton, Lake Hollingsworth — basically, if it’s not a lake, it’s a pond.
Don’t forget the swans — the real MVPs of Lakeland. Because who wouldn’t want to live in a place where a bunch of fancy waterfowl are literally more famous than most of the people? Keep reading for more of ChatGPT’s thoughts on Lakeland traffic, culture, and more.
Le Creuset’s Signature Round Dutch Oven in the color Berry. In case you haven’t heard the news, this popular hue is back after being discontinued in 2019 — and the internet is freaking out. It’s also available in the Signature Oval Dutch Oven. Grab it before it’s gone again.
When it comes to go-to date night spots in Lakeland, it’s all about the food for our readers. Top responses in our poll last week included Bay Street Bistro, Nineteen61, Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, Scarpa’s, and Lakeland Ice Cream Company — is anyone else getting hungry for dinner already?
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