OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Anyone who’s driven through the intersection of Orange Blossom Trail and Carroll Street in Osceola County knows the struggle when it comes to traffic.
“It’s horrible. Very horrible,” Roberto Rosario, who works in the area, told News 6.
Frank Rosado, another Osceola County resident who works at a nearby car dealership, agreed.
“Carroll is busy and OBT is busy,” he said. “I see a lot of accidents there.”
Jacob De La Cruz crosses the intersection daily to get to his job and is always worried about his safety.
“To be honest with you, it’s pretty bad. Nobody really stops. Nobody really pays attention to the stoplight or the crosswalk. You kind of got to run through and run between the cars,” he said.
A long-awaited project aims to change that, improving safety and traffic flow along one of the county’s most congested corridors. But years of delays have come with a steep price.
The Carroll Street Improvement Project recently completed its design phase and is expected to break ground in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The project spans the intersection of Carroll Street and Orange Blossom Trail (U.S. 441), extending east past Sample Street and west past Lehigh Avenue.
Planned improvements include widening Carroll Street to six lanes at the intersection, replacing the existing span wire traffic signal with mast arms, utility upgrades, and sidewalk enhancements to improve pedestrian connectivity and ADA accessibility compliance.
The original professional services agreement with engineering consultant CDM Smith, Inc. for Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services was signed in 2023, but construction never got off the ground after the county received a single bid that came in significantly above estimated costs.
As the project moved forward, CEI rates and staffing were updated to reflect current market conditions, project scope and duration, adding $430,119.68 to the original agreement.
The revised scope also includes CEI services for Toho Water Authority utility installation work, adding another $228,699.87.
Earlier this month, the Osceola County Board of County Commissioners approved Amendment No. 1 to the agreement, bringing the total contract to $957,659.26, an increase of $658,819.55.
Toho Water Authority will fully reimburse the $228,699.87 portion tied to its utility work.
Residents can find project updates and more information here.