WINTER PARK, Fla. – In about a month, the next phase is set to begin in a yearslong project to try and get results for Winter Park residents who live along State Road 426.
Those neighbors say a portion of that busy road is just not safe after a number of crashes in the area. They’ve even started an online campaign to get safety results and we know state transportation leaders are stepping in and allowing residents to weigh in along the process.
Gary Sacheck and his wife have lived along the busy stretch of SR-426 in Winter Park for more than 30 years and told me they’ve seen so many crashes caused by speeding and reckless drivers.
“It’s frequent enough that anyone who travels it on a regular basis will say, ‘That’s a dangerous curb,’” said Gary Sacheck. “Several years ago, we heard a car (that) was going west, was going so fast, couldn’t make the curb, jumped the guardrail there and actually ended up in that guy’s garage and destroyed his car.”
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One thing’s for sure, they’re calling for more barriers to slow drivers down.
They support the Fix426 campaign, started by a group of neighbors along the 1.7 mile stretch on SR-426 west of S Park Avenue to east of N Lakemont Avenue.
Winter Park police told News 6 there were 35 crashes in the area between Jan. 1 and July 25 of this year. The department could not confirm the data on the Fix426 website.
The Fix426 campaign has gained the attention of the Florida Department of Transportation, which has so far hosted two community meetings to try and get input from residents.
“We’re trying to help the drivers slow down, pay attention to the roadway,” said FDOT spokesperson Peyten Maki
We were shown FDOT’s safety study page with a list of renderings of different proposed plans, including options to narrow lanes, add pavement markings, narrow medians and raise intersections. Read more about that by clicking here.
According to FDOT, the Design Phase is set to begin in November and is expected to include public meetings. Construction is estimated to begin in August of 2025.
“We have already started doing some of the improvements based on feedback from the last community event,” Maki said. “This project is actually going a little bit faster than usual with the Design Phase and the Construction Phase.”
Scott Spellacy also lives on SR-426 and said he’s seen a number of crashes, too.
“It’s a little scary to hear, Especially with someone with a new baby. You just want the roads to be safe,” Spellacy said.
Read more about the Fix426 campaign by clicking here.
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