ORLANDO, Fla. – Narcoossee Road, a vital north-south corridor straddling Orange and Osceola counties, has become a daily nightmare for thousands of drivers. Once a manageable suburban route, it’s now overwhelmed by traffic volumes beyond its design capacity—leaving residents frustrated and desperate for relief.
Locals say the congestion has steadily worsened over the past few years.
Sharon, who’s lived in the area for five years, summed it up simply.
“It’s not fun. All day, every minute, it doesn’t matter. Every hour,” she said.
Jack Goodwin, another commuter, described the unpredictability of the road.
“Sometimes you’ll get a break, but even still, it’s at least 30 minutes to go about seven miles,” Goodwin said. “Usually it’s 45.”
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The numbers back up their complaints. In 2022, Narcoossee 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.
According to Mighk Wilson of MetroPlan Orlando, the road’s design hasn’t kept pace with the rapid development in Southeast Orange and Northern Osceola counties.
“It’s a typical suburban six-lane arterial,” Wilson said, “but it’s seen an exceptional amount of growth in recent years.”
Drivers have taken to social media to vent their frustrations, calling the situation “absolutely horrible” and blaming poor planning and unsynchronized traffic lights.
MetroPlan Orlando did attempt to optimize traffic signals along the corridor, but the results were minimal. During evening peak hours, drive times were reduced by just 36 seconds. In the morning rush, they actually increased by six seconds—leaving drivers unimpressed and still stuck in gridlock.
Unlike other congested roads in Central Florida, such as Colonial Drive and John Young Parkway, Narcoossee may have a glimmer of hope. A new toll road—State Road 534—is in the works to provide an alternate route. However, the project is still in the design phase and won’t be completed for several years.
Until then, residents will continue to face the Narcoossee nightmare every time they hit the road.
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