The connection from Nova Road south to Florida's Turnpike is operationally being called State Road 515. (CFX graphics)
The Central Florida Expressway Authority made updated presentations on the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study for the State Road (SR) 515 Northeast Extension Phase 2 project during two meetings last week.
The project will connect the Florida Turnpike to U.S. 192 east of St. Cloud and Harmony, and continue north to the planned Osceola Parkway extension, covering a distance of 15-20 miles.
Approximately 50 people attended the virtual presentation on April 22, and a similar number attended a presentation at the St. Cloud Community Center, where they viewed displays and met one-on-one with Turnpike staff and project consultants.
At least three possible routes were under consideration, needing to wind through a maze of lakes and both public and private designated wetland mitigation banks, all while trying to avoid as many residential areas as possible.
Alternative route “G” was selected, which constructs a new turnpike exchange approximately two miles north of the Canoe Creek Service Plaza. The route runs south of Lake Gentry and Brick Lake. The route then runs east and then intersects U.S. 192 east of Harmony and then heads northeast and then north to “shoot the gap” between Cat Lake and Lake Conlin and continues north to eventually connect to the future SR 534 Toll Road, north of Nova Road, in Sunbridge.
Alternative “G” has the least impact on current and planned future residences, according to the CFX interim report; it presents larger environmental impacts. However, the report indicates that many of the environmental impacts can be mitigated in a manner similar to steps taken during the planning and construction of the Wekiva Parkway which ran through environmentally sensitive lands in Lake County.
At the south end, SR 515 is slated to cross Canoe Creek road and meet a planned eastern extension of the Poinciana Parkway (SR 538) at Florida’s Turnpike, south of the proposed Waterlin development on the southeast side of Lake Tohopekaliga.
The SR 515 Northeast Extension Phase 2 project is one of ten other road construction projects planned or in process by CFX and Osceola County for the area south and east of St. Cloud. While no firm time frame for construction has been set, 2030 seems a likely target date.
No residents cared to comment on the record for this article; several stated that Alternative “G” was the best route from their perspective if the project is to be constructed.
For more information on the State Road 515 Northeast Extension, see: https://bit. ly/41DnDmO.
