OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – People living in southeast Orange and northeast Osceola counties will get an update on a long-discussed toll road designed to relieve traffic congestion.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is holding a public meeting Wednesday to discuss the design of State Road 534.
S.R. 534 is a proposed 14-mile tolled expressway that will run from S.R. 417 near Boggy Creek Road in Orange County to Nova Road in Osceola County.
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The project, built in three phases, will feature two lanes in each direction and seven interchanges.
Drew Johnson drives through the area for work and hopes the road will improve traffic on Narcoossee Road.
“When everyone is coming and going in the mornings and afternoons, it’s out of control,” Johnson said. “If people are willing to pay to build that road, I think it’s a good idea.”
Once a manageable suburban route, Narcoossee Road has become overwhelmed by traffic volumes beyond its design capacity.
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In 2022, the road carried about 38,000 vehicles daily. Today, that number has surged to more than 58,000, exceeding the road’s intended capacity of 55,000 cars per day.
While CFX has said S.R. 534 would improve east-west connectivity in the area, opponents have argued it would damage the wildlife corridor between southeast Orange and northeast Osceola counties.
Friends of Split Oak Forest, a conservation non-profit, has said members of the organization will attend the information meeting to speak against the toll road.
Wednesday’s meeting is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Tohopekaliga High School.
A virtual meeting will also be held on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more details on the project and public meetings, visit sr534.com.