Plans for new expressway connector road to Sanford International Airport now in the works

SANFORD, Fla. - Imagine driving to the Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and not hitting any red lights - that could become a reality in the future. People driving between State Road 417 and SFB may one day have a dedicated road to get there.

The Central Florida Expressway (CFXWay) authority is developing several plans to build a connector road between the two. CFXWay community engagement manager Brian Hutchings said the area was seeing more people moving in. "Much like everywhere in Central Florida, these days, it's experiencing explosive growth, and with that growth, it's putting strains on our roads."

Hutchings said the new road should take some of the strain off Lake Mary Boulevard. "This new road would be designed to alleviate some of that traffic, take some of the airport traffic, drive through traffic, off the local roads and put them on the new expressway."

CFXWay could build the road in several places. One plan would put it along a corridor southwest of the airport, though that proposal got push-back from conservation advocates and people living in the area. "We hold public meetings and get input from the community, because it's vital to any new road we're planning, and we heard from members of the community who were concerned with some of the alignments," Hutchings said.

Another possible plan would construct an elevated road along the median of Lake Mary Boulevard from SR-417 out to the airport. "Elevated roads are typically more expensive than what you'd otherwise build, so there are numerous factors that look into it," Hutchings said.

For now, they said everything was still on the table, and they would be holding more public meetings. Once they had an approved plan, it would move into the design, permitting, and construction stages. CFXWay said, if approved, the new road could be complete by 2031.