OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A clogged intersection has an Osceola County man asking if something can be done to make his drive easier.

What You Need To Know

  • Steve O’Connor says drivers block Pleasant Hill Road at Sun Cove Drive in Kissimmee

  • O’Connor says he has trouble crossing the intersection during rush hour

  • Osceola County officials say they won’t install a "Do Not Block Intersection" sign due to concerns over sign pollution

  • Regardless of a sign, it’s illegal for drivers to block an intersection

Steve O’Connor said there is so much traffic on Pleasant Hill Road in Kissimmee that crashes are common.

“This is pretty much a weekly, if not daily, occurrence,” O’Connor said, as he pointed out car parts on the side of the road.

O’Connor and his wife encounter a lot of issues at the exit of their community at Sun Cove Drive and Pleasant Hill Road.

“It’s just a dangerous intersection that needs some attention,” he said.

Osceola County officials found 30 reported crashes at the intersection in the past five years.

The big problem is during the rush hour commute, when drivers block the intersection even when they have a red light on Pleasant Hill Road, O'Connor said.

“You’ll see every car creeps across and bunches up like that to the previous car, the one ahead of him, and completely block the intersection, with no regard to anybody trying to cross Pleasant Hill,” he said.

O’Connor said the clogged intersection keeps him and his neighbors from leaving their homes in the afternoon and early evening hours.

“I will not go to Lowe's after 3 o’clock because I’ve sat there where those cars are, lining up,” O’Connor said. “I’ve sat there for two to three light changes, waiting for me to get across, when the cars will keep piling (into) the intersection, keep blocking the road.”

O’Connor suggested a simple fix, the installation of a sign warning drivers not to block the intersection.

An Osceola County spokesperson expressed concern over sign pollution.

“Sign pollution is a phenomenon that occurs when many signs are placed along a roadway, causing drivers to disregard them,” said Tom Alexander, communications manager for Osceola County. “This makes the signs ineffective and is why we don’t generally install ‘Do Not Block Intersection’ signs.”

Alexander reminded drivers that it’s always illegal to block an intersection, regardless of the presence of a sign.

The county official said he has forwarded O’Connor’s concerns to the sheriff’s office for enforcement action.

An Osceola County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the traffic division would be made aware of the problems.

O’Connor said he hopes the situation changes soon.

“This is just commonsense stuff. You don’t block an intersection. You obey the speed limit and traffic signs,” he said.

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