Winter Park Commission considers Lee Road extension

Winter Park officials discussed a new approach to realigning Lee Road on Monday – hoping to solve local traffic problems without creating new ones.

The City Commission held a work session to look at three potential realignments for street, trying to manage traffic along U.S. Highway 17-92 to the south. The section of road fills up with drivers heading north and south on 17-92 along with others trying to head further east on Webster Avenue from Lee Road.

A project to extend Lee Road has been on the Florida Department of Transportation’s to-do list since 2003, back when they conducted a Preliminary Development and Environment study suggesting a realignment punching the road through to Denning Drive and Railroad Avenue.

UP Development from Nashville recently had a study conducted and proposed a similar alignment of their own – referred to as “Alignment A” – connecting to Carver Street. The developer had pushed for that study in 2003 in hopes of getting a traffic light placed near their future Whole Foods Market location along 17-92.

On Monday city staff presented the Commission with a new alternative, which extends Lee Road toward Denning before curving south and connecting to Webster Avenue.

The new route – referred to as “Alignment B” – came in response to residents concerned about more cut-through traffic in neighborhoods to the north along Denning Drive.

“One of the main advantages is it puts the traffic on Webster where we feel like this dogleg traffic is going anyway,” Public Works Director Troy Attaway said. “It also severely alleviates the potential for people to travel north on Denning and impacting neighborhoods around Park Avenue – we heard that as a concern.”

FDOT approved of the alignment, but on the condition that left turns onto Webster from 17-92 would be prohibited, Attaway said. A traffic light at the extended road and Webster would be proposed by the city as well.

But City Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said the city shouldn’t be so quick to extend Lee Road, which she believed could cause more cut-through traffic in other neighborhoods.

The completion of the Ravaudage planned development nearby could offset the extension, she said, bringing in 3,200 more peak hour trips to the Lee Road intersection.

“For me, to jump right to cutting through our neighborhoods really gives me heartburn,” Cooper said. “If we’re going to make this decision, let’s make sure we completely understand.”

Taking out existing traffic lights, she said, might be a better solution.

Mayor Ken Bradley said the Lee Road intersection and the cut-through traffic in neighborhoods should be treated as separate issues.

Cars cutting through neighborhoods could be given a study all its own, he said.

“I don’t know how much of it’s caused by this intersection and I don’t know how much is going to be fixed by this intersection,” Bradley said. “Ravaudage has just one restaurant to it and we’re complaining about cut-through traffic.”

City Commissioners eventually agreed that Alignment B had the most potential of the three options and should be sent to FDOT as their primary choice.

The City Commission will be presented with a resolution formally supporting the alignment at a future meeting date, City Manager Randy Knight said.