ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation held a public information meeting Wednesday evening regarding upgrades to an intersection in the Mills 50 District.
FDOT said that in 2018, an oversized vehicle caused damage at the intersections of Mills Avenue and Mount Vernon Street. The state hopes to start construction on improvements sometime in 2024. The projected cost sits just over $400,000.
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The upgrades include making the roadway wider, allowing for larger vehicles to maneuver in the area.
With Hillcrest Elementary School adjacent to the project, FDOT said there are plans to reconstruct the sidewalk and add ramps that meet Americans with Disability Act requirements.
Traffic lights in the intersection are currently held on cables that holds the light directly above the road. A new plan will illuminate the wire from the center of the intersection.
Michael Rausch was the only resident to attend the meeting in-person. He said he was born-and-raised in the area and has witnessed the growth of the area up close.
“I was curious, so I came by. I’m glad I did,” Rausch said. “Everything in the area is getting better and better to draw more traffic, which is the idea. Get customers to come out and come down and see things.”
Rausch owns Colonial Photo and Hobby, a family business his father started decades ago.
He added that with the growing popularity the Mills 50 District, it’s important that infrastructure in the area be able to accommodate the increase in people visiting the area. Rental rate increases in downtown Orlando are another factor that Rausch said is making the area appealing to business owners.
“The nightlife is really coming in stronger and to the Mills area, and I’d like to see that. You know, it’s good. A lot of that was all downtown Orlando. Now, I see it in the different districts,” Rausch said.
The design phase for the project is scheduled to take place next year.
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