ORLANDO, Fla. — The Central Florida Expressway Authority's governing board will meet Wednesday morning to decide on moving forward with a plan to connect U.S. 27 with State Road 429 in Lake County.
Toll road agency officials will consider three options to connect the roads, including one that would run from U.S. 27 to the Schofield Road interchange.
Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks said building the road could spur development in the county.
"We are expected to grow anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 people within the next eight to 10 years," he said.
Resident Jennifer Fitzgerald said she has noticed the growth already.
"It is growing," she said. "Traffic here is getting crazy, because people are moving here -- it seems like -- in droves."
Resident Robert Elliott said he welcomes the road project.
"It would be better on the commute, and it would streamline the process for people to get all over the Central (Florida)/Orlando area," he said. "Get it done fast. Let's do it."
The connector road, which would take fives years to build, could generate more than $50 million for the agency.
The board will meet Thursday at 9 a.m. to decide whether to begin the project development and to commission an environmental study.