Home Page     Key Study Issues     Schedule     Public Involvement     Contact us     Lake County

Public Hearing Scheduled

The Lake County Public Works Department will conduct a Public Hearing for the County Road 470 Project Development and Environment Study.  The hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at the St. Mark Lutheran Church, located at 28215 US Highway 27, Leesburg from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  There will be a presentation beginning at 7:00 p.m.

This hearing will allow interested persons the opportunity to express their ideas and/or concerns regarding the conceptual design, social, economic, and environmental effects of the proposed improvements.  Lake County representatives will be present during the meeting to answer questions and discuss the project.

Questions and Answers

During the second Public Workshop, a number of questions were asked.  Following is a summary of the concerns and responses to those questions:

Q:  In the median, will there be left turn stacking lanes?

A:  Yes.

Q:  Will there be any vegetation besides grass?  For example, trees or shrubs?

A: The Commissioner of this District has requested that there be landscaping along the project that comes up in the design phase and have to be funded by the County or whoever funds the project.  We are  anticipating that there will be landscaping along the project.

Q:  Will there be landscaping in the median?

A:  Probably, the rural section is a little harder to landscape because it is actually used as drainage conveyance.  The raised median is much easier to landscape because it is raised and the water flows off of it and out into the ponds.  The type of landscaping and the density of it all has to do with the type of typical selected and also the funding. 

Q:  I am a homeowner.  There is not a whole lot of space where I live; it is close to the highway.  Will you start in the middle of the highway and go equal distances on both sides of the highway, or how will it go?  

A:  We are recommending a 100' right-of-way in this section, which is the existing right-of-way.  We are not looking at acquiring additional right-of-way in that area.  The typical section that is recommended is one that fits inside the existing right-of-way.

Q:  When you do start the widening project, are you going to start from the Turnpike end or start from the Route 27 end?

A:  I think they are going to design this as one segment and let it out as one construction project.  How the contractor builds it, it is usually left up to him, because he usually knows the best way to try to build it.   We really don't know at this point in time, nor could we control, how he does his construction.

Q:  When will you know?

A:  Probably in final design when we come up with a maintenance of traffic plan and how to maintain traffic while we are trying to do these improvements.  We may not know until after a contractor actually bids the job and submits his work schedule to the County.

Q:  With your study of traffic flow, as it exists right now, how many cars and trucks go by each day on CR 470?

A:  Right now, on most of corridor, the existing traffic is around 7,000 cars/trucks as day.  Truck traffic is about 7-8%.

Q:  Do you anticipate traffic will triple?

A:  Projected traffic volumes are in the mid 25,000 range, so they will go from 7,000-25,000 in the next 20 years.  If the interchange gets constructed and the land use is developed to the highest potential of the property.  Future land use will change so we try to take that into account to get a realistic traffic projection.  Typically, traffic in a developed area doubles every 20 years.  This area has a lot more potential impacts, especially with the interchange being opened up, so we're a little over that with our traffic projections for the next 20 years.  That easily supports putting a 4-lane facility out there.

During the first Public Workshop, a number of questions were asked by those in attendance. Following is a summary of the concerns and responses to those questions:

Q: What is your program for coordinating with Sumter County?

A: We have acquired the Sumter County land use plans to aid us with the Traffic analysis for the corridor and we have been in contact with Gary Breeden the Public Works Director at Sumter County.

Q: What is the website address?

A: The website is www.cr470.bsaorl.com and is currently up and running. We will be updating it as we continue  with the study.

Q: How will traffic be controlled at the US 27 and CR 470 intersection? Is the only way to do that with the traffic light?

A: Based on traffic forecast right now, the signal will suffice for the 20-year traffic; it doesn't require an interchange.

Q: Has there been any thought to just straightening up the whole road?

A: FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) has already performed a study and is currently designing the interchange with Florida's Turnpike at its existing location. A realignment of CR 470 is not feasible at this point.

Q: I notice the access roads near the interchange. Are these for the City of Leesburg? Are there plans for  some to their road. The limited access points extend outward from the interchange. Frontage roads are built in order to provide access to adjoining properties.

A: The Turnpike has very strict criteria when they develop an interchange. They pay a premium to acquire the access rights along the roadway.

Q: What's in that vacant area (next to the "S" curves)?

A: The City of Leesburg has recently acquired some of this property. There is an abandoned orange grove, some abandoned buildings and a residence.

Q: How old is that aerial? Even the Publix is not on there and they've been there a year or more.

A: This aerial photograph was taken in March 1998. I believe the Publix is the only major change that has occurred… truthfully, aerials help, but most of our work is done off the tax maps and off the field analysis.