City News

LAKELAND, FL (July 31, 2025) | Beginning Monday, August 4, 2025, CSX will initiate critical infrastructure improvements at multiple railroad crossings throughout the Lakeland area. These upgrades are part of ongoing efforts to enhance safety and maintain the reliability of the rail line.

LAKELAND, FL (July 30, 2025) | Contractors working on behalf of the City of Lakeland Water Utilities Department will begin cleaning large-diameter gravity sewer lines (21” and 36”) along the southern and eastern sides of Lake Hollingsworth starting Monday, August 18, 2025. This essential maintenance is necessary due to sediment buildup resulting from Hurricane Milton.

LAKELAND, FL (July 30, 2025) | Contractors working on behalf of the City of Lakeland Water Utilities Department will begin cleaning large-diameter gravity sewer lines (21” and 36”) along the southern and eastern sides of Lake Hollingsworth starting Monday, August 11, 2025. This essential maintenance is necessary due to sediment buildup resulting from Hurricane Milton.

LAKELAND, FL (July 21, 2025) – The City of Lakeland invites residents and local bicycle enthusiasts to help shape the future of cycling by participating in a public survey as part of the League of American Bicyclists’ 2025 Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) review process. This opportunity allows cyclists of all backgrounds and skill levels to share their experiences and feedback ...

Lakeland, Fla. | On Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 12 AM to 8 AM, there will be a pacing operation along westbound Interstate 4. The pacing operations will begin at I-4 westbound from Osceola County to Lakeland Hills Blvd (Exit 33).

LAKELAND, FL (July 16, 2025) – Beginning Saturday, July 19 at 4:00 a.m., CSX will temporarily close the North Florida Avenue (FL-37) railroad crossing, located between E/W Pine Street and E/W Main Street in Downtown Lakeland. The crossing is expected to reopen by Tuesday, July 22 at 10:00 p.m., weather permitting. This closure is part of a phased construction schedule to improve critical infrastructure along the CSX rail line, also known as the Lakeland Subdivision or the A Line.

LAKELAND, FL (July 10, 2025) | Beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2025, Lakeland Highlands Road will be reduced to one northbound lane and one southbound lane to allow for the installation of a new force main at the intersection near Lowe’s and Sam’s Club. The lane closures will remain in effect throughout the weekend, with full traffic flow expected to resume by 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 14, 2025.

An election for the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA) will take place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The election is open to all property owners within the LDDA boundaries who are not fully exempt from ad valorem taxation, as well as registered voters residing within the LDDA area.  The LDDA covers approximately 559 acres in Lakeland’s downtown core (see attached map).

July 9, 2025 | Avelo Airlines announced today it is extending its Central Florida flight schedule through mid-February 2026, just in time to start planning winter holiday travel. Avelo’s Central Florida Customers can now book travel to nine popular destinations through February 10, 2026.

LAKELAND, FL (July 2, 2025) | The City of Lakeland Water Utilities has launched Phase One of a critical infrastructure project to upgrade the Western Trunk Gravity Sewer Line. This major line, installed in the 1980s, carries approximately 3.5 million gallons of wastewater per day to the Southwest Pump Station through a 36-inch reinforced concrete pipe. Over time, structural lining and past repairs have reduced the pipe’s diameter, limiting capacity and hindering system performance and future expansion.