SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — County leaders are going against the recommendations of Seminole staff and advisory members to spend nearly double to build trail tunnels instead of bridges at two busy roads.

What You Need To Know

  • Seminole Wekiva Trail users say it can be dangerous to cross state roads 434 and 436

  • The  county commission wants to build tunnels under state roads 434 and 436

  • The price to build tunnels is nearly double compared to bridges

  • But officials say it will cost more to maintain the bridges long term

The plan is to make it easier to cross state roads 434 and 436 for users of the Seminole Wekiva Trail.

“The riders don’t want to ride this trail because it is not safe," said Irwin Bellinkoff, who uses his electric bike nearly daily on Seminole County trails. "There’s not enough time to cross the street, and the cars are continuously trying to cut us off."

While engineers have suggested building bridges over state roads 434 and 436, most Seminole County Commissioners want to go underneath.

Building tunnels instead of bridges over both state roads 434 and 436 would cost almost double. A tunnel under SR-434 would be $8 million more expensive compared to a bridge. It is almost $6.5 million more dollars to build a tunnel under SR-436 rather than a bridge.

But commissioners said bridges long term can cost more to maintain, and more cyclists are willing to use a tunnel than a bridge.

“I don’t even think about it because I can slow down and not be pressured to cross the street,” said Bellinkoff, who supports the plan for tunnels.

The county plans to fund the design of the tunnels and hopes to secure funding from MetroPlan Orlando for construction.