LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A small business owner said he’s worried about how a new construction project along County Road 437 could impact his business in the coming weeks.
Roadway improvements began Monday morning along County Road 437 from State Road 44 to Sorrento Avenue. The project includes repaving and building a 4-foot paved shoulder on both sides of the roadway.
Sunrise Grill owner Michael Spradlin said he’s already heard his customers talk about the traffic impacts.
“I’ve heard customers complaining several times about how long they waited today,” Spradlin said. “Even someone said they waited 30 minutes on that road.”
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Spradlin said his commute was also impacted by the traffic backup on his way to work Monday morning.
“I sat there for about 10 minutes at the light just to turn right onto 437,” Spradlin said. “I thought it was maybe an accident but then I saw the one lane of traffic ahead and realized what was going on.”
Lake County shared a post on Monday advising residents of the start of the construction. In the post, they warn people of lane closures, traffic delays and challenging driving conditions. County Road 437 runs right in front of Sorrento Elementary School.
One person commented and mentioned the repaving project is taking place close to the start of school. We asked the county if parents who have children who attend Sorrento Elementary should find an alternate route.
In an email, the county said: “Construction is scheduled to be complete Aug. 4, 2023 before the start of school on Aug. 10, 2023.”
We also asked the county why the construction is taking place so close to the start of school. In the same email, the county told us the project was supposed to begin in early June but was delayed due to contractor availability.
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