ORLANDO, Fla. – A project that has been 18 years in the making will change the landscape of one of Central Florida’s oldest communities. Edgewater Drive runs right through the heart of College Park and is being redesigned from Lakeview Street on the south end to Par Street, more than a mile and a half to the north.
Orlando City Commissioner Robert Stuart says plans are getting closer to completion, and construction is expected to break ground next year. The redesign will include landscaped medians and raised crosswalks to help slow down traffic. It will also feature a new roundabout at Lakeview Street.
Stuart says the current five-foot-wide sidewalks will expand to at least eight feet wide. Currently, there are trees and other landscaping in the middle of the footpath. Stuart says that will move to corners at intersections.
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“You can’t walk down Edgewater Drive today side by side,” said Stuart. “We know that’s wrong and we’ve got to fix that.”
Another significant change is the removal of the current dedicated bike lane.
“We’re going to get rid of the bike lane because we’re gonna be slowing traffic down, so we end up having SHARROW lanes and the lane will be a little bit bigger,” explains Stuart.
SHARROW lanes often feature special markings indicating it’s a shared path, but some people are concerned by the removal of a dedicated bike lane.
“You see more and more e-bikes nowadays. You would think they would make lanes more accessible, not take lanes away,” said Tim Indorato, who rides an e-bike to work in College Park every day.
Keeley Bowman added, “I don’t want people’s dogs getting run over by bikes or a bike swerving in traffic because they want to miss somebody.”
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The project will be completed in four phases, with Phase A expected to start next year, which includes putting a roundabout at Lakeview Street. After that, the new landscaping and medians will take shape, with the entire project expected to be complete in about four years.
Funding for the project is coming from the city and the Florida Department of Transportation.
Another community meeting is expected this fall, allowing residents to voice their opinions and stay informed about the project.
To get updates on the project or to ask questions, you can go to the Edgewater Drive Street Project page on the City of Orlando’s website.
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