OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Central Florida Expressway Authority’s (CFX) Southport Connector project to connect Poinciana Parkway to the Florida Turnpike could soon be approved.
Osceola County is experiencing rapid growth, with its population already exceeding projections. While the county was expected to reach 410,000 residents in 2025, it has already hit 468,058 and could double by 2040.
With more people comes more cars and longer drive times. The Southport Connector project aims to address these issues by creating a 15-mile expressway connecting Poinciana Parkway to the Turnpike. The plan also includes widening Cypress Parkway to six lanes.
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“It’s something that, if I have to go to a VA in the morning, [in Orlando], I have to leave out of my house at 5 in the morning just to get there at 7. The traffic is too much,” Poinciana resident Richard Valentine said.
However, not everyone supports the plan. Some residents oppose the elevated expressway through the middle of Cypress Parkway.
“Nobody really wants it, especially the people in Solivita, because it’s going to bring the value down of our homes, because this is going to be a wall,” Carmen Boos, a Poinciana resident, said.
Despite concerns, Boos, who attended a project meeting, believes the improvements are necessary.
“Every time you go on the road, even where it used to be 10-15, it’s now half an hour. So, it’s stressful. The road is stressful,” she said.
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The Central Florida Expressway Authority is expected to present a recommendation to approve the project before its board on Dec. 11.
CFX tells News 6 that if approved, the design phase could take up to five years, with construction lasting another four to five years. This means it will be several years before the first car travels on the new expressway.
For more information on the project, visit movepoinciana.com.