POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Changes to a busy Lakeland road are here to stay. City Commissioners agreed that having three lanes is the best option for South Florida Avenue.
South Florida Avenue is a major artery, connecting the north side of Lakeland to the south, but the space on the busy street is limited.
After conducting a three-year study, a decision has been made on how to best utilize the road for drivers and pedestrians.
South Florida Avenue in the heart of Lakeland is extremely busy. Years ago, FDOT labeled part of the corridor unsafe because of its narrow lanes and small sidewalks.
“Right now, the sidewalks are crumbling. I know someone that ran across the street, stepped from the island to the sidewalk and it crumbled under her feet. So it’s very dangerous,” said Wendy Johnson, owner of Krazy Kombucha.
Wendy Johnson’s brewery Krazy Kombucha is located right off the busy street in Dixieland. Businesses are booming in that part of town, but Johnson is concerned customers can't get to her business safely.
“We’ve been here about a year and a half now and it's very hard for our customers to come in the front door,” Johnson said.
The City of Lakeland and FDOT conducted a study to find ways of improving the safety and curb appeal of South Florida Avenue. The so-called road diet took South Florida Avenue from five narrow lanes down to three wider ones.
Lakeland officials are now requesting that FDOT make the three-lane road permanent.
“One of the biggest complaints that we had heard during the test phase was that it was harder to get on and off of Florida Avenue, not only for the side streets but also for adjacent businesses,” said Chuck Barmby, City of Lakeland Planning & Transportation Manager. “One of our requests to FDOT is to take a look at the signals up and down the corridor and look at opportunities to provide better breaks in traffic,” he said.
Some residents worry getting rid of lanes only adds to traffic congestion. Officials said safety benefits outweigh travel time.
“What the test showed was that the typical peak hour travel time increased by about 46 seconds. During the peak of the peak, if somebody was unlucky enough to hit the worst traffic at the worst time of the year, it may be a minute or two longer,” said Barmby.
The City is also asking FDOT to widen sidewalks and install audible signals for pedestrians.
“People can come out and walk their dogs, stroll with their children safely and be able to cross back and forth across the streets, I think it’s going to be pivotal to small business down here,” Johnson said.
The City and FDOT will now begin a design phase to create the final look and feel of South Florida Avenue. That is expected to take 12 to 18 months.
