LEESBURG, Fla. – U.S. Highway 441 in Leesburg may look calm on Saturday morning, but Matthew Capistran, who lives near the road, says weekday traffic is a different story.
“Everywhere you go there’s just over development. You just go in and there’s traffic everywhere. The snowbirds then come down here and you just can’t get to where you need to go,” Capistran said.
He says just getting onto the roadway is hard enough — and a new project could make things worse.
This week, the city is considering a 12,000-square-foot mixed-use development right off the highway near Pemble Road, set to feature 278 apartments, a clubhouse, a leasing office and a boathouse.
“In my opinion, the more houses you make, the more traffic there is. They’re not really amped up for that anyways. The Villages is coming through here too. It’s just gonna make it worse to get anywhere,” Capistran added.
The property would sit right next to Brittany Estates, and some community members spoke out at last week’s Lake County Commission meeting.
“Highway 441 is already a challenging road, especially to go left,” one resident told commissioners. “Honestly, I feel like I’m playing Frogger every time I try.”
Others raised concerns about flooding.
FDOT is preparing to start several projects on 441, including resurfacing from Mills Street to College Drive.
City leaders are set to review the development plans at their next Leesburg City Commission meeting on Monday.
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