ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Soon there will be a new way to travel east and west in Orange County that will help tens of thousands of drivers.

What You Need To Know

  • Orange County is extending Holden Ave

  • New road creates a new route between John Young Pkwy and Orange Blossom Trl

  • Holden Ave extension will open early next year

James Pugh says it is needed. Right now, it can be a challenge to get to the gym from work for him.

“It’s usually a parking lot out there, from 33rd Street all the way over to Holden Avenue,” he said.

Right now 33rd Street, Americana Boulevard and Oak Ridge Road are used to get between John Young Parkway and Orange Blossom Trail, south of Interstate 4.

"It is busy, so it’ll be a nice to have an additional east-west route,” said Cathy Evangelo, senior engineer with Orange County Public Works.

Orange County is building a new road, an extension of Holden Avenue from Texas Avenue to John Young Parkway and Millenia Boulevard.

Construction started in January 2020, as another way to connect John Young Parkway and Orange Blossom Trail.

“West of here, as we look down that way, there was nothing," said Kenneth Leeming, manager of Orange County Highway Construction Division. "In fact, there was swamp land, and soil conditions were adverse so we were able to remove all the soils.”

An estimated 100,000 cubic yards of muck were removed for the four lane divided roadway, with 5-foot sidewalks and 4-foot bike lanes on each side.

“There’s the Millennia Mall that way, there’s also an extra access to I-4 that way,” said Evangelo.

Orange County expects 40,000 vehicles to use the new Holden Avenue every day.

The $22-million project should be completed by early next year.