ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Work is underway to make Pine Hills Road safer for pedestrians in Orange County.

What You Need To Know

  • Construction is underway to make pedestrian improvements to Pine Hills Road

  • The project is split into three phases between Colonial Drive and Bonnie Brae Circle

  • Officials say there have been more than 1,200 crashes on Pine Hills Road between 2017 and 2021

  • A 4-foot fence will be installed in the median to deter jaywalking

Between 2017 and 2021, officials say there have been more than 1,200 crashes on Pine Hills Road between Colonial Drive to Bonnie Brae Circle. And just last month, a 7-year-old boy was hit and killed while riding his bike across Pine Hills Road.

Data shows 14 people have been killed and 43 were seriously injured on Pine Hills Road during the five-year time frame, prompting Orange County to enact recommendations of a 2018 safety study.

Crews are already working on the first of three phases of the project in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Orlando, which will add a new raised median to eliminate the dual left turn lanes, wider sidewalks, a dedicated bike lane, pedestrian lighting and signalized mid-block crossings.

The centerpiece, according to the county, will be upgrades to the intersection of Pine Hills Road and Silver Star Road.

But what may be the most noticeable change will be a 4-foot fence built in the median to prevent jaywalking, which has been a longtime problem along Pine Hills Road.

Officials say nearly half of the deadly crashes along the road happened while people were walking across the street.

“I feel that will help out a lot with the crashes, I feel like that will help out with the jaywalking, honestly, it will keep kids safer,” said Jae Knight, a barber at Pinehill’s Barbers and Beauties who has witnessed several crashes in front of his shop.

The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

Work on the second phase is scheduled to start this summer and will take 16 months to complete.