OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Turning onto Pleasant Hill Road can be troubling for neighbors from The Oaks subdivision in Osceola County.

What You Need To Know

  • Backups on Pleasant Hill Road make it difficult to turn off an access road from The Oaks

  • Drivers sometimes have to try to force their way into traffic

  • FDOT is considering a bypass to help ease congestion at Pleasant Hill and John Young Parkway

  • County and state officials said they are working to find a solution

Tyrone Turpin said he uses an access road behind the Mobil, AutoZone and Walgreens to get from The Oaks Boulevard to Pleasant Hill Road. But turning left onto southbound Pleasant Hill Road is no easy feat.

“Just as I’m sitting right here, they see I want to get out, and nobody is going to stop,” Turpin said.

Pleasant Hill northbound traffic backed up from the light with John Young Parkway can block Turpin’s access to southbound lanes of Pleasant Hill.

After several minutes of waiting, Turpin will try to force his way out.

 “I’m going to blow my horn and get these people to stop to let me out, and that’s what I got to do,” Turpin said. “Once you get their attention, it just shows you how oblivious people are when you drive.”

The Florida Department of Transportation has been considering building a road through The Oaks to bypass the intersection, but as reported earlier this year, some neighbors have push backed against that idea. They’re concerned the bypass would lead to more traffic and congestion in their neighborhood.

So now the state is re-evaluating options to alleviate congestion near the intersection.

“Following the (public) meeting in May 2021, (FDOT) began additional studies to analyze current and future traffic demands and re-evaluate improvement options at the intersection,” said FDOT Public Information Director for District 5 Jessica Ottaviano. “We are on schedule to have that analysis completed by spring 2022. We recognize the urgency to address the traffic flow in that area, but it is important that we proceed with the right project to achieve improved operations at the intersection.”

An Osceola County spokesperson said officials will look at interim and permanent solutions to the traffic issues in the area.

Turpin would like something to be done now.

“A light is needed,” he said. “I don’t necessarily mean a red to green, but maybe a blinking light.”

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