OVIEDO, Fla. — An Oviedo woman is raising concerns about congestion on Lockwood Boulevard, a busy route between Oviedo and the University of Central Florida, as new development is planned near County Road 419.
Jenny Sumner, who lives in Oviedo and works at UCF, said Lockwood Boulevard is a direct route for her commute. She said traffic near Lockwood Boulevard, County Road 419 and Mitchell Hammock Road can add 20 to 30 minutes to her drive home from work.
“Right now, I think we have a broken infrastructure and they’re trying to build on top of that, which is not conducive to, I think, positive growth,” Sumner said.
A new mixed-use development with commercial space and a 55-plus community is planned near where Lockwood Boulevard meets County Road 419. Sumner said the area is already congested and believes additional traffic from the development will worsen backups.
“This intersection is nightmarish,” Sumner said. “There’s so much congestion, there’s so much traffic, there is no enforcement to the traffic.”
Sumner said the two close intersections at County Road 419 and Mitchell Hammock Road create problems for drivers, especially when vehicles cut in at the last second or use turn lanes improperly.
“What typically happens is because traffic gets so backed up because the lights are not coordinated, you’ve got folks that will park it in this right-hand turn lane only and come immediately on top of you, or you’ll get folks that’ll sit in this lane to turn left illegally onto Lockwood,” Sumner said.
The city of Oviedo completed a repaving and restriping project on Lockwood Boulevard almost a year ago, but Sumner said she does not think the changes helped.
“What you’re going to see here is the markings on the road are now at about a 30-, 35-degree angle,” Sumner said. “So, if I’m in this lane, my first inclination is to go straight, because that’s what we used to do. But now, I’ve got to turn and follow the line to get into this lane. I can’t tell you how many cars have come on top of me if I am in that right-hand lane.”
City spokeswoman Lisa McDonald said police will upping enforcement in the area now that school is back in session. She said city engineers determined the current striping on Lockwood Boulevard is the best option.
McDonald said signal timing is not causing the backups. She said traffic volume, especially during the afternoon rush hour, exceeds the roadway’s capacity.
Sumner said she would like city engineers and police to observe the area and look for solutions that address commuter concerns.
“I think just being thoughtful about some of the solutions would help to mitigate some of problems that morning commuters, evening commuters face every day,” Sumner said.
Sumner said the other option for traveling between Oviedo and UCF is Alafaya Trail, which she said is worse. City officials said there are currently no plans to create or extend any roads within city limits.
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