Road projects often look simple on a public map: add turn lanes, widen an intersection, improve drainage, and move traffic faster through a busy area.
A few feet at the edge of a lot can affect parking spaces, landscaping buffers, business signs, stormwater ponds, driveway access, and how close traffic sits to a storefront.
That is the property issue in Longwood, Florida, where a planned intersection project at State Road 434 and County Road 427, also known as Ronald Reagan Boulevard, would require pieces of 11 nearby commercial properties, according to FOX 35.
The businesses are expected to remain open, but the project shows the trade-off that can come with road widening near private property. Traffic relief may help drivers, customers, and business owners, while still changing the edges of the lots that sit closest to the work.
The Project Would Add Turn Lanes, Bike Lanes, and Sidewalks
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The Florida Department of Transportation’s project page says the work is meant to improve operations at the intersection of S.R. 434 and C.R. 427 in Longwood by adding turn lanes. The project runs from South Milwee Street to just west of South Oleander Street.
FDOT says the improvements would create dual left-turn lanes for eastbound and westbound traffic on S.R. 434 turning onto C.R. 427. The project also includes a new exclusive eastbound right-turn lane onto C.R. 427.
The plan also includes bike lanes on S.R. 434 from South Milwee Street to C.R. 427, along with minor drainage, sidewalk, and signalization improvements. FDOT lists the construction cost at $4.8 million, while FOX 35 described the project as about $5 million and reported that construction is expected to begin this summer.
Nearby Business Properties Could Lose Space
FOX 35 reported that the improvements require acquiring portions of 11 nearby commercial properties, though businesses are expected to remain operational during the work.
ClickOrlando reported that one affected property is a Walgreens near the intersection. City records showed a portion of that property would be used for the project, bringing the roadway closer to the storefront.
A Few Feet Can Change Parking, Signs, and Drainage
ClickOrlando reported that the proposal includes changes to a stormwater retention pond near the roadway, would alter how stormwater runoff is managed, and would add a 6-foot fence around the pond.
The store’s sign would also be affected. ClickOrlando reported that Longwood city code typically requires signs to be set back at least 5 feet from a property line, but the proposal would allow the nearby Walgreens sign to sit about 3.5 feet closer to the property line than normally permitted.
Business owners in the area told FOX 35 that heavy traffic and delays near nearby railroad crossings have long been a concern, and some welcomed efforts to improve traffic flow. A completion date has not been announced.