DELAND, Fla. — Construction is getting underway this week to extend Blue Lake Avenue in DeLand.

What You Need To Know

  • Volusia County is extending Blue Lake Avenue to State Road 472

  • Project is expected to provide relief to Victoria Park subdivision

  • Some residents are concerned about speeding on new road

  • More than 3 million dollar project will help drivers get to I-4

The project is expected to provide some relief to Victoria Park residents who need access to Interstate 4.

“I think it will help with the traffic flow going in and out for the people in the back of the neighborhood and possibly help with some of the congestion at the front for the older neighbors at the front section,” said Wendy Hart, who has lived in Victoria Park subdivision of DeLand since 2017.

Across the street from Hart is Toby Troutman, whose home used to be where Blue Lake Avenue ended.

“We are sort of discouraged about the road coming through because the road is going to be bringing a lot of traffic this way,” said Troutman, who moved into Victoria Park in 2014.

Volusia County is partnering with DeLand to extend Blue Lake Avenue from where it currently ends and connect it to State Road 472.

“This is an important connection for that portion of the Victoria Park subdivision,” said Volusia County Engineer Tadd Kasbeer. “It provides a third access point, which takes the pressure off of the two in the northeast section near Martin Luther King and Orange Camp. Residents from the surrounding neighborhoods will be able to utilize another route to SR-472 and reduce the amount of traffic near the existing neighborhood entrances that are very close to the new roundabout.”

Volusia County stated the project is expected to cost $3,365,475, which includes construction costs, right-of-way acquisition and design fees.

Still, some are not happy.

“We bought this house because it’s at the end of the street,” said Troutman. “And we can look out of our side windows and see trees and very few houses in this neighborhood are like that.”

Troutman is worried about drivers speeding near her home on the new stretch of Blue Lake Avenue connecting to State Road 472.

But Kasbeer says the county planned this new stretch of road with a lower design speed, where the curvature of the road will require drivers to slow down. No traffic calming features are being installed, however.

“I don’t see it causing a lot more traffic for us back here,” said Hart. “It’s quiet back here and we’ll have a little bit more but I don’t see it being too much to be a detriment.”

Volusia County officials say they will coordinate with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office if speeding becomes an issue.

They say currently there are no sound reduction components planned at this time.