Sandspur ramp will stay open

When the Ultimate Interstate-4 becomes a reality in 2020, the intersection where Sandspur Road hits Maitland Boulevard will function much the same as it does today. After four state traffic studies and months of debate, the Maitland City Council voted Monday to approve an alternative plan for the proposed project that will leave the Sandspur eastbound ramp to Maitland Boulevard open as is.

Residents and Councilmembers had issued concerns over existing plans to take down the ramp, fearing losing it would force increased cut-through traffic on the city’s residential roads.

“We want to preserve the community of Maitland and not give people who are coming through the city another way to cut through these neighborhoods,” Councilwoman Linda Frosch said. “…There’s got to be a better solution.”

The approved alternative – recommended by the city’s Transportation Advisory Board Aug. 22 – will keep traffic patterns much as they are now, which by the year 2040 is anticipated to increase traffic on Hope Road by 61 percent, and on Sandspur west of Hope Road by 14 percent – down from a 21 percent increase on all of Sandspur as predicted in the original plan.