Orange County Public Works Engineering conducted a Roadway Conceptual Analysis (RCA) for a new east-west road between SR 436 and Dean Road, north of SR 50 (Colonial Drive) and south of University Boulevard. This new roadway will provide an alternative east-west route for those residents living in the area and help relieve traffic congestion on SR 50 and University Boulevard. A Project Advisory Team (PAT) was formed with representatives from the local neighborhoods, environmental agencies and government agencies to assist the RCA Study Team during the development of the recommended improvements. Over 40 small group meetings were held during the study to receive input from businesses, individual residents and neighborhood groups. Five large public workshops were held at University High School to present project information and to receive input from the public during the study. A public hearing was held with the Local Planning Agency on April 19, 2001, where the project was found to be consistent with Orange County's Comprehensive Policy Plan. On June 26, 2001, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved the East-West Road RCA Study.
As a result of the RCA Study, the following commitments were made by Orange County and approved by the Board of County Commissioners:
Four-foot, on-road, bicycle lanes and five-foot sidewalks will be provided on both sides of the East-West Road. Between Forsyth Road and Goldenrod Road, eight-foot sidewalks will be provided along both sides of the new roadway.
Increase the height of the standard County screen walls from six-feet to eight-feet in height.
Provide street lighting along the entire roadway.
Establish a weight limit requirement on the new East West Road to restrict heavy and commercial truck traffic.
Design cul-de-sacs at both the north and south approaches of Gresham Drive to the new East-West Road. At the initiation of construction, place barriers to create temporary cul-de-sacs at the same locations. Six months after the construction of the roadway is complete, survey the neighborhood residents to determine whether permanent cul-de-sacs need to be constructed. The permanent cul-de-sacs will be constructed if the residents indicate this preference.
Design this road using criteria for a 35-mile per hour design speed.
Use 11-foot travel lanes east of Forsyth Road and 12-foot lanes between SR 436 and Forsyth Road.
Increase the landscape construction budget from $75,000 per mile of roadway to $125,000 per mile of roadway. Landscaping along undeveloped areas will be reduced in order to increase landscaping along residential or public use areas.
Allow for the construction of a new driveway off of the new roadway into the Brush Arbor Baptist Church, west of Goldenrod Road.
Maintain a minimum of 100-feet between the East-West Road right-of-way and properties in the Pinewood Village and Econ River Estates subdivisions.
The existing intersections of Stratford Boulevard and Mistletoe Court with Goldenrod Road will be closed. In addition, the new East West Road alignment, east of Goldenrod Road, will cross Glyn Street. Glyn Street north of the East West Road will not intersect the East West Road and a cul-de-sac will be constructed. Glyn Street, south of the East West Road, will intersect the East West Road with a "T" intersection.
Evaluate, during design, the need for a new traffic signal at the intersection of Glyn Street (South) with the East West Road.
Design and construct the roadway drainage system with measures taken to minimize the impacts to existing utilities.
Construct the project improvements in accordance with Orange County's standard construction practices, with emphasis on maintaining acceptable driving conditions through the construction zone and maintaining access to all businesses and residences along the East-West Road.
Take environmentally responsive actions in accordance with applicable Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulations, if, during construction activities, mitigation for contamination sites is found to be necessary.
Give consideration to aesthetics, such as landscaping, during the design.
Acquire an additional 25-feet of right-of-way along the south side of the road from SR 436 to a point approximately 1200 feet east of SR 436 to accommodate the planned Orange County trail.
Evaluate during the design phase, the need for a box culvert or bridge at the crossing of the Crane Strand Canal just west of the Chapel Hill Cemetery.
Work has begun on the next phase of the development of the East-West Road project which consists of the final engineering design and preparation of the construction plans and right-of-way acquisition documents. The East-West Road will consist of a four-lane divided urban roadway with on-road bicycle lanes, sidewalks, landscaping and street lighting. The project has been divided into two design segments. Segment 1 includes the portion of the road from SR 436 to just west of Harrell Road. Segment 2 begins just west of Harrell Road and extends to Dean Road. This phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in January, 2006. The right-of-way acquisition and construction phases would follow.
Concept plans from the RCA Study are included below. Combined with an aerial photo, these concept plans graphically depict where the East West Road may be located.
Transportation Projects 
