POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Just like most people who live in Davenport, John Graham can tell you some traffic horror stories.
“An ambulance was trying to go north or south on either side, and cars had nowhere to pull over,” he recalled.
Land that was once orange groves continues to be developed rapidly, which is why Graham and others are speaking up.
He lives about a mile south of I-4 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Minute Maid Ramp Rd. 2/Citrus Ridge Drive.
The intersection is booming with growth. A new development of town homes is taking shape, as is a 7-Eleven convenience store which will be abutted by additional retail space. Most recently, Publix has the green light to build a new location on the northwest corner of the intersection.
Graham fears the additional traffic could further isolate his neighborhood.
“I think the worst case scenario is emergency services will not be able to serve the community,” he said.
Peggy Bradley, a snowbird, lives in the area part-time and has similar worries.
“It’s gotten a little overwhelming in that area,” she said.
According to Benjamin J. Ziskal, the Director of Polk County’s Land Development Division, the county is requiring developers to improve the intersection, so it can handle more traffic.
In fact, he said the county will not allow the 7-Eleven store to open or for the new town homes to operate at full capacity until the road improvements are complete.
“The roadway improvements are required as part of private development occurring adjacent to the intersection and are being constructed by private developers, not by Polk County,” he clarified. “The intersection improvements have been permitted by Polk County and the Florida Department of Transportation, however the work is being completed by the developer.”
“Polk County staff is aware of the delays in construction and understands the concerns and frustrations from residents in the area and has been diligently working with both developers in an attempt to get construction completed as soon as possible,” Ziskal added.
Ziskal said once the improvements are made, it will add capacity to roadways in the area.
However, county documents suggest the roads in the area are rated “F” for failing, which is why people like Graham think it’s past time for bigger infrastructure fixes there.
“It’s been development, apartments, housing complex, stores, shops — up and down U.S. 27,” he said.
