Equipment failure to blame for traffic delays in St. Cloud, county officials say

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Some residents in St. Cloud say getting home in the evenings has become a major headache for them due to heavy traffic.

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The congestion is centered around the Kissimmee Park Road Exit of Florida’s Turnpike.

Frequent drivers in the area blame recent population growth for all the gridlock, but county officials say it’s actually a simple equipment malfunction.

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It doesn’t make much of a difference to drivers who say they’re getting stuck for upwards of 30 minutes every day, and it’s beginning to test their patience.

“We’re literally posting every time our frustration, and yesterday, my post was my turn,” St. Cloud resident Nelly Hernandez said. “I had to sit here and wait another 30 minutes to get out and figure out how to get to wherever I need to go.”

People in St. Cloud say they’ve been dealing with the traffic mess for weeks at the intersections of Florida’s Turnpike, Old Canoe Creek, Kissimmee Park, and Clay Whaley Roads.

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“You’re sacrificing the few for the many,” Hernandez added. “We’re the few right now. Our safety is 100% sacrificed.”

Residents blame the traffic on overdevelopment and say they’re concerned about what will happen if there’s an emergency in the area.

“We’re allowing all this growth without the ability to have the turnpike on-board, yet none of the roads in Osceola County can accommodate this growth,” Osceola Action Committee President Cliff Clover said. “It’s a serious safety concern. Peoples’ lives are at risk.”

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The county says the backups are temporary and aren’t the result of population growth.

Rather, county officials say a piece of equipment that helps control traffic lights in the area was recently damaged. They say they made temporary repairs Thursday morning.

Residents are also asking county leaders for an officer in the area to help with traffic flow.

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