ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — For residents in Seminole County, State Road 436 can be one of the busiest roads they travel on in a day.
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The congested road, located east of Interstate 4 in Altamonte Springs, has been on the minds of city officials, including Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Martz.
“Altamonte Springs is a regional crossroads. I-4, 436 cut right through the center of our city, we have 300,000 people who go through every single day,” Martz said.
This influx of people is the reason the city plans to improve the barely 1-mile stretch, from Crane Roost Boulevard to Boston Avenue.
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The construction will benefit motorists and pedestrians like cyclist Ryan Pisklo, whose main mode of transportation is his bicycle.
“I would like to see better bike paths because I don’t want to get hit,” he said.
But the issue is that the road is lined with a narrow sidewalk and there isn’t a dedicated bike lane.
The city plans to narrow the existing lanes and get rid of paved shoulders to create new 10-foot-wide sidewalks and separate 5-foot-wide bike lanes in each direction.
The city has teamed up with the Florida Department of Transportation to complete the job.
“By combining forces, we’re saving taxpayers about $4.5 million,” Martz said. “By joining together, the whole project is going to cost around nine.”
Martz said the improvements are a matter of safety and accessibility for all.
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And Pisklo is looking forward to the upgrades.
“I definitely want to see something safe throughout,” he said.
The project is currently up for bids. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2023 and should be completed in early 2024.
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