The Central Florida Expressway Authority is considering adding an elevated toll road above Maitland Boulevard, and a public hearing is set to discuss the proposal Thursday at Wekiva High School. 

More tolled express lanes may come to Central Florida.

There’s a plan to add elevated toll lanes to State Road 414, also known as Maitland Boulevard.

A public hearing is taking place Thursday for drivers and neighbors.

“(State Road) 414 can be terrible during rush hour and then, like, any time from about 3 to 7 in the afternoons going west on 414 because of the lights,” said Judy Clark, who has lived near the road for the past 27 years.

SR 414 sees its fair share of backups: The Central Florida Expressway Authority found drivers can spend nearly half an hour trying to get through three traffic lights during peak travel times.

“It's too slow for one thing," Clark said. "I can go back a ways and go a lot quicker, and then there's a couple of areas that I just think are a little dangerous for getting on 414, so I just try to avoid those if I can."

That's why the expressway authority is looking to extend the SR 414 tollway from Orange Blossom Trail, 2.3 miles to State Road 434. That would mean drivers could travel from State Road 429 to I-4 without having to stop.

The new four-lane extension would be elevated 32 to 45 feet above the existing Maitland Boulevard, which would remain intact to provide local access.

“A lot of that traffic would be elevated, if they do put the elevated lanes in,” said Clark, who said she likes the idea of less traffic on her road.

But she's also worried about what the project would mean to her neighborhood and the environment.

“I think the noise is going to increase a lot,” she said.

Clark said the project is likely inevitable, but plans to take advantage of Thursday's meeting to sound off on the project.

A public hearing is set for March 31 at the Wekiva High School Cafeteria and Auditorium (2501 Hiawassee Road in Apopka) from 5:30-7:30 pm.

The extension project would also include a 7-foot buffered bike lane and 5-foot sidewalks.

Expressway authority officials said an elevated expressway means that no right-of-way issues would be affected.