Resident Kathleen Burns speaks to the CFX committee about the Southport Connector Expressway project in Poinciana Thursday. (Photo/Michelle Kostuch)
The Central Florida Expressway Authority held three public hearings this week to update the local Poinciana community and hear public comment about the Southport Connector Expressway project proposed.
About 300 people attended two in-person meetings at Liberty High School and the Anthony DePalma Event Center. A virtual session was also held.
CFX Senior Manager of Community Relations Brian Hutchings called the meetings “essential.”
“It’s a fundamental part of the PD&E [Project Development and Environment] process,” he said. “Projects are only as good as your community engagement and the feedback that you get from the community.”
The Southport Connector Expressway project is a part of proposal to build a regional highway connection between I-4, State Road 429, and Florida’s Turnpike just south of Lake Toho through Polk and Osceola counties.
The section of the roadway being planned through Poinciana is a hot-button issue for residents who expressed strong feelings about the elevated toll road planned for the median of Cypress Parkway. Construction would include 15 miles of road and additional lanes, bridges, noise walls, and interchanges along Cypress Parkway.
Poinciana residents are unified in their frustration about traffic, and CFX’s message to them is that the expressway will alleviate much of this congestion. Directing regional traffic to the new expressway would open up existing roads for easier local commutes, according to Hutchings.
“Initially, people were a little prickly about it, but they’ve learned really the benefits this will bring,” he said. “People have really warmed up to it quite a bit.”
“The traffic here is horrible,” said a Solivita community resident who asked not to use their name, “There’s definitely a need. But it seems like they’re taking little small Poinciana and using it to make this a parkway to the Turnpike.”
Four-year Poinciana resident Eugene Kelly agreed, calling the public event “a performative public display.”
“It’s not a matter of decreasing congestion. That’s not the end goal of the project ,” he said. “The real goal is to get some sort of expressway over to the Turnpike for the benefit of the Orlando area.”
He cited the plan’s slower speed limits and restricted lane widths as factors that he believes will increase, rather than decrease, traffic.
“If some official mentions that this helps reduce congestion, then by their own studies, that’s not accurate,” Kelly said.
Locals raised concerns about exhaust, light, and noise pollution from vehicles traveling on the elevated roads. Some residents want a higher noise wall.
“The noise on Cypress Parkway, it is terrible. So therefore the wall is welcome,” said resident Franklin Grant.
“I think it’s needed. But I just hope they do it in a smart way where we don’t have congestion, more traffic, and noise,” said Donato Falcicchio, a six-year local. “I moved to Solivita because it was so quiet and, you know, wonderful.”
Poinciana resident Jacquelyn Lee said, “Senior citizens are very susceptible to RSV or all the respiratory diseases, and if you inundate us with exhaust fumes, a lot of these people are going to end up in the hospital.”
Sarita Livingstone of Solivita said she opposes the projected construction because of drilling, noise, dust, and debris that can come with it.
“It’s going to affect all of Poinciana. This is really terrible,” she said.
Some say the choice between the current “Preferred Alternative” and a “No Build Alternative” isn’t acceptable.
“There should be something in between because right now, we can’t keep going as we are now,” said Terre Williams.
Elizabeth Mathieu, 27-year resident suggested widening Pleasant Hill Road. “I think there’s enough space to add one lane up and one down that would help all of us,” she said.
“I don’t want to be one of those people who say, ‘Not in my backyard,’ but literally, this is in my backyard,” said Maureen Myers of Solivita, who also hopes for a different solution.
Public comment is being collected through Oct. 2 to be compiled in a final report to be presented to the CFX Governing Board. In the December meeting, the board will then vote on whether to proceed with the plan.
“Ultimately it’s up to our board for providing future direction,” Hutchings said. “If they accept it, we move it into design and then future construction. It’s really going to be their call.”
