OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County leaders are hosting a summit to share more information about how local and state agencies hope to tackle the county’s transportation woes.
Retired Osceola County resident Luis Casillas says just about everywhere you go in Osceola County, the roads are clogged.
“I try not to go out during rush hour due to traffic,” said Casillas.
Osceola County is not just one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, but also the nation.
And many, including Casillas, say the roads aren’t keeping up with that growth.
“I think this (road work) should have been done before the developments,” he said.
Casillas says the infrastructure is just not keeping up with the pace of new homes and apartments. It’s a common complaint Osceola County Commission Chairwoman Viviana Janer hears.
“The infrastructure is paid with the mobility fees that are collected from the development,” she told us. “There is no way for us to collect those fees prior to the development, because it’s not allowed per state law.”
Osceola County is calling 2023 the “Year of Transportation,” and they’re holding a transportation summit on May 9th to lay out all the transportation projects planned in the coming years.
“I think the congestion will get better,” said Janer. “I think these major roadways that we are widening are going to improve. But there’s always going to be traffic.”
Janer says the Florida Department of Transportation, the Central Florida Expressway Authority, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise and MetroPlan Orlando will all be in attendance to lay out their projects in the county.
“This summit will not only give them a chance to not only speak to the county but to speak to these other partners that are also investing into these roadways,” Janer said.
Some of the projects include a beltway to provide new access routes to I-4 and the turnpike and new express lanes for I-4.
Janer says Osceola County alone is investing about 500 million dollars for widening projects, including Simpson Road.
Casillas lives off Simpson Road and says the widening is much needed.
“Having a four lane road or a six lane road here, it’s a great improvement that’s way past due,” he said.
That Transportation Summit is taking place at 10 am on May 9th at the Kissimmee Civic Center.