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Seminole County advances $200M toll road
Seminole County’s long-debated toll road project is moving ahead after transportation leaders approved plans for a new connector linking State Road 417 to Orlando Sanford International Airport.
SANFORD, Fla. - After years of debate and months of public hearings, Seminole County’s controversial toll road project is officially moving forward.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority voted Thursday to approve construction of a two-mile connector linking State Road 417 to Orlando Sanford International Airport.
What we know:
Officials selected Version 2A, a route they say best balances community concerns with transportation needs.
The road is designed to provide the shortest and most direct route to the airport while reducing congestion on East Lake Mary Boulevard by nearly 50%.
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The project is estimated to cost $200 million and could eventually bring in $50 million annually in toll revenue.
What we don't know:
Officials have not provided a construction start date or timeline for completion. It’s also unclear how the project will affect property values or whether further legal or environmental challenges might delay progress.
Specifics on toll pricing and funding sources for the $200 million cost have not yet been released.
The backstory:
The toll road proposal has been under review for more than a year, drawing both support and opposition from residents.
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Local leaders say the connector is necessary to accommodate growth near Sanford and improve access to the airport. Environmental advocates and some homeowners, however, have expressed concerns about potential impacts on wetlands and neighborhood traffic patterns.
What they're saying:
The expressway authority said it chose the current route to minimize harm and capitalize on current land-use conditions before further housing expansion makes construction more difficult.
"There are more housing developments going into this specific area where this needs to be connected," said Andria Herr, Seminole County’s representative on the Central Florida Expressway Authority. "So this will have the least impact—if you can imagine that—on residents in that area if we do it now."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Central Florida Expressway Authority.