Officials to consider new options for downtown Kissimmee road changes

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Kissimmee leaders will head back to the drawing board after some business owners didn't like a plan to change the downtown area.

The city originally wanted to reduce Broadway Avenue to two lanes between Neptune Road and Emmett Street, and eliminate parallel parking.

Tom Lanier of Lanier's Historic Downtown Marketplace has watched the traffic pass in front of his store for the past 20 years. He told Channel 9 the downtown area is not broke and the city doesn't need to fix it.

"We were told when we go to the meetings that the same traffic will go through, it'll just go at a little slower pace and you'll get the same people going through," Lanier said. "I don't quite buy that."

Lanier was unaware that officials are now considering other options, one of which is to shrink the roadway, but keep parallel parking and widen sidewalks.

"Absolutely opposed because it would deter traffic," Lanier said.

Another plan would keep the road the same way it is, but improve the crosswalks from side streets.

"That seems like most advantageous way to travel because it would still leave things the way they are, except making the tabled intersections that would give people an easier way to cross the streets," Lanier said.

City officials told Eyewitness News they're still in the planning stages and will listen to all opinions about the proposed changes.

WFTV