OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla — Officials say help is on the way to combat some of the bumper-to-bumper traffic that clogs the streets of Poinciana, but not for about two years.

The Central Florida Expressway Authority plans to extend Poinciana Parkway from Ronald Reagan Parkway to US-17/92 and up to Osceola Polk Line Road. The project initially was scheduled to begin by the end of this year, but the expressway authority said permitting issues have delayed the project.

What You Need To Know

  • The Central Florida Expressway Authority is planning to extend Poinciana Parkway from Ronald Reagan Parkway to Osceola Polk Line Road

  • The project will help ease congestion in Poinciana

  • Construction on the project has been delayed for about two years. It originally was to start at the end of the year

  • The Florida Department of Transportation also has a plan to extend Poinciana Parkway to I-4 at State Road 429

Johnny Bonilla started a fitness center near Ronald Reagan Parkway and US-17/92.

“If there’s no traffic, it can be 40 minutes (to work),” Bonilla said. “But with traffic, it can be two hours, 2-and-a-half hours.”

The growth in the area means Poinciana drivers have some of the worst commute times in the nation.

Bonilla said the only saving grace has been Poinciana Parkway. The limited tolled expressway helps him get to his parents and in-laws in the Solivita area.

“I’ve yet to witness any kind of traffic on this parkway every time I drive here,” he said.

At the end of the year, the Central Florida Expressway Authority widened Poinciana Parkway from two to four lanes between Cypress Parkway and Ronald Reagan Parkway.

Now the expressway authority is looking to extend Poinciana Parkway 3 miles to Osceola Polk Line Road.

“That is going to be a complete game-changer for the folks that live in Osceola County that are trying to get to and from work in the morning,” said Expressway Authority communications manager Brian Hutchings.

To further ease congestion, as a part of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Moving Florida Forward program, the Florida Department of Transportation plans to extend Poinciana Parkway from Osceola Polk Line Road to I-4 at State Road 429, which would provide an expressway from the heart of Poinciana up to I-4.

“Hopefully, that will help with the traffic patterns,” said Bonilla. “Get people a better commute, a faster commute, instead of us having to travel into traffic.”

Current access to Ronald Reagan Parkway would be eliminated by the extension. Instead, drivers would be able to access Poinciana Parkway at the new US-17/92 interchange nearby.

Also, a noise wall is proposed along the Sereno neighborhood.

The Moving Florida Forward project doesn’t currently have a start date.