ST. CLOUD, Fla. – One of Osceola County’s fastest-growing areas is expanding, and St. Cloud is spending millions to ensure critical and emergency services can keep up.
Construction is currently underway on Fire Station 32 on Old Canoe Creek Road. The city has invested $5.3 million to build the new fire station and remodel the existing logistics building.
Recommended Videos
Some residents say the investment is necessary.
“They put their lives on the line, and giving them the tools and the equipment, and the space for them actually to do their job, which is saving lives, I think it’s a priority. Health, safety and all that is part of public safety,” said Leticia Oliveira, a St. Cloud resident.
“Florida is growing so fast. And it’s a state that so many people come for their vacation. So, absolutely, we need that expansion.”
More people means more cars, and drivers are already feeling it.
“We face a lot of traffic right now. So, she works in Lake Nona. We live in St. Cloud; every day it’s tough for us because it’s taking like 45 minutes to get there,” said Denis Silva, a St. Cloud resident.
Nearly 14,000 cars travel Canoe Creek Road every day — a number that could reach 39,000 by 2045. To address that, the city and county are working together to widen a 4-mile stretch of the road, from Deer Run Road to U.S. Highway 192, from two lanes to four.
The expansion would also help fire and emergency crews respond to calls more quickly.
“I see a lot of accidents, or even, like, accessing for them to pass [is hard]. When they have to pass through for an emergency,” Oliveira said.
“We see the struggle because, of course, everything is so crowded. So, expanding the roads and making them accessible, easier for everybody, to wherever they are going makes life easier for everyone, including the fire department and paramedics and all that to reach their source of service,” Silva said.
An emergency signal is also planned for Fire Station 33, also located on Friars Cove Lane, just off Canoe Creek Road, to further improve response times.
Station 32 is expected to complete construction this fall — one of several projects St. Cloud and Osceola County have in the works to keep pace with the area’s rapid growth.
