LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — An area woman says she hopes more can be done to make it safer to drive through construction zones on Florida’s Turnpike in Lake County.
What You Need To Know
- Damaris Moraza is concerned construction on Florida’s Turnpike in Lake County is contributing to crashes
- Crews are widening the turnpike between State Road 50 and Hancock Road
- Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise blames the crashes on excessive speeding and aggressive driving
- Turnpike officials are working with Florida Highway Patrol for more speed enforcement and signs installation
Damaris Moraza says too many crashes have occurred in the past few months as construction ramps up on the turnpike in Lake County.
“I’ve been concerned with the horrible accidents that have been happening on the turnpike,” she says.
Moraza wrote into Traffic Inbox because she says she believes the construction on the turnpike is a factor in the crashes.
“Something is not right in that area causing those accidents,” Moraza says.
Crews are widening Florida’s Turnpike from State Road 50 in Clermont/Winter Garden (mile marker 272) to Hancock Road in Minneola (mile marker 278).
They’re also building and replacing bridges.
“Normally when you see the construction on the turnpike, they are between midnight and 5 a.m., and they are doing this one in the middle of the day, where thousands of people are driving in the area,” she said.
While Moraza concedes she thinks the project is valid, more safety measures need to be in place, she says.
“I think the Florida Highway Patrol should be more in there," Moraza says. "I don’t know if electronic signs should help.”
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise spokesperson Kerry French says excessive speeding and aggressive driving cause many crashes in that area.
“The Enterprise has coordinated with the Florida Highway Patrol to implement additional speed enforcement between Mileposts 272 and 285,” French says. “Officers are on the lookout and ticketing speeding and aggressive drivers.”
Additional message boards are being installed to remind drivers to slow down.
“Safety devices are installed to guide motorists safely through the work zones,” French says. “These include pavement markings, signs, barrier walls, overhead message boards and portable roadway message boards. The project teams continuously inspect the safety devices to ensure they meet Florida Department of Transportation safety standards.”
Construction on the $162 million project won’t wrap up until the middle of 2026.
Send Spectrum News 13 your traffic-related questions or concerns by filling out the form here.