SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) held a workshop Wednesday night at the Galileo School for Gifted Learning to get community feedback on two potential paths that would connect State Road 417 to the Orlando Sanford International Airport.

The proposed plans hope to relieve congestion in and around Sanford. CFX began a Concept, Feasibility and Mobility study for a potential two-mile connector between State Road 417 and the airport.

What You Need To Know

  • CFX held a workshop to get community feedback on two possible plans that would connect State Road 417 to the Orlando Sanford International Airport

  • The proposed plans, Route 2 and 2A hope to relieve congestion around the airport and East Lake Mary Boulevard

  • While most residents agree congestion relief is needed, some say the proposed plans would pushed people out of their land and homes as well as impact the environment

  • CFX hopes to take feedback from the community and present one alignment at a July public hearing

The study started in 2021 and originally had five possible options, but at a community meeting on Wednesday, officials shared info on two paths they narrowed it down to.

“We’re trying to find an alignment that has minimal impact to the community, to the environment, and that will still also meet the need for the traffic mitigation,” explained CFC spokesman Brian Hutchings.

Hutchings says they’re deciding between alignment 2 and 2A as possible connectors that would be about two and a half miles long and connect to Cleveland Boulevard.

But both paths presented go through the property of Rebecca Burke and have a direct impact on her home of 22 years.

“Route 2 would actually take the north end of my 10 acres and 2A would be in my dining room,” Burke said.

So, she came to the workshop to get a better understanding of what the plan looked like. And while she feels this connector is needed, she wants what’s best for her and her neighbors.

“I understand the need and necessity and I am a rational human being, but the emotional piece of me feels a little overwhelmed,” Burke said. “My husband passed away in August and this was our home.”

Seminole County business owners admit beneficial change is necessary to help ease the area’s growth, as CFX predicts an 87% population growth by 2050. However, they hope for a path with the least amount of impacts to residents like Burke.

“We have a thousand new homeowners and residents coming every week to the Orlando area,” said EXIT Reality Premiere Legacy Broker owner Alena Rivera. “You know it’s greater opportunities for business in the real estate industry and making sure that we can keep up with everything and provide the housing necessary to right.”

The next step is for CFX to take feedback from the community and present one alignment at a July public hearing. 

From there, CFX will present to the Central Florida Expressway board, which will decide if the project will advance to the design phase.