ORLANDO, Fla. — Lars Iverson, a manager at Hawaiian Rumble Mini-Golf off of State Road 535, south of I-4, likens his business to a small oasis escape for the 48,000 cars a day that travel through the area.
- Congestion is creating issues for drivers and pedestrians
- Project design could cost $1M while construction cost is estimated at $5M
- Construction is projected to start in early 2021
"Once they get here, its calm... and it settles the nerves," Iverson said.
Iverson said that during peak times of year, the business is not hard to see, but it's hard to get to.
"The traffic would be backed up about a mile or two. So I would have to go down about a mile or more and make a U-Turn to come back to try, and get on to the property,” Iverson said.
The congestion has created issues for drivers and pedestrians in the area.
"The problem is if you have wide-open access with people making left turns and right turns off of some of the side streets, and then you have pedestrians in the mix and such. It can get to be quite an interesting combination," said Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Steve Olson.
Back in March of this year, that combination was put to the test as a deadly wreck occurred when a van hit a woman trying to cross the street near Meadow Creek Drive. Not being the first incident like this to occur in the area, FDOT decided action was needed.
That means improvements are coming to the stretch of SR-535 between Lake Bryan Beach Boulevard to Vineland Avenue.
One of the plans for this stretch of SR-535 is to install mast arms, traffic signals, crosswalks and pedestrian crossing signals at four separate locations on 535 just south of I-4.
Another main feature?
The way you make U-turns there.
FDOT is adopting something called RCUTs, which stand for Restrictive Crossing U-Turn Intersections. Their main purpose being to restrict the areas where vehicles can make U-turns, which they say has proven successful around the U.S. in reducing serious wrecks and improving flow.
The Florida Department of Transportation said they are currently in the design phase, which costs around $1 million with the overall construction costs at about $5 million dollars and to start sometime in 2021.
Here is a quick overall breakdown of the proposed project as it stands right now:
Project Purpose and Need:
This project includes the resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of Apopka-Vineland Road (SR-535). Pedestrian safety upgrades will be implemented along the corridor including intersection modifications at Vistana Drive, Vistana Center Drive, Meadow Creek Drive and Vineland Avenue.
These intersection modifications will restrict the incoming and outgoing side streets to right turn movements only, but will allow the same movement downstream via a U-turn.
Proposed Improvements:
- Intersection modifications to include the installation of mast arms, traffic signals, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals
- Milling and resurfacing the existing pavement
- Sidewalk installation to fill in gaps
- Addition of transit stop boarding areas/landing pads
- Upgraded signage and pavement markings (including restriping to incorporate 5-foot bike lanes)
- Pedestrian enhancements to comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements
- Installation of roadway lighting system
The typical section is proposed to be modified through restriping to provide three 11-foot travel lanes and a 5-foot bicycle lane in each direction.
Project Status and Estimated Costs:
Design: Ongoing -- $1 Million
Construction: Early 2021 -- $5 Million
An informational open house to inform the public was held Wednesday night at the Rosen JCC Event Center.