Poinciana residents face continued roadblocks in I-4 connector

People who live in Poinciana are facing another roadblock as they wait for construction to begin on the Poinciana Parkway.

The road is supposed to give residents a faster, more direct route to I-4 from Marigold Avenue. But paying for the project is turning out to be a big problem.

About 83,000 people live in the community of Poinciana, and they've been promised this road since 2006. They're still waiting and the result is getting national attention.

Every day, 54,000 cars squeeze through two lanes of traffic to get to and from Poinciana. It's bumper-to-bumper, literally.

Keith Laytham, president of the group Poinciana Residents for Smart Change, wasn't shocked to find out his town has America's worst commute according to the National Business Journal. An annual study found almost 48 percent of residents there drive more than 45 minutes to work.

"We were the fastest-growing community in the United States back in the middle of the decade of 2000 and as part as that growth, we expected the roads would come," Laytham said.

Construction of the Poinciana Parkway was supposed to begin in February, but the developer, Avatar, is still looking for ways to fund the $110 million project. The company just asked commissioners for another extension.

Currently it takes people in Poinciana about 45 minutes to an hour to drive the 22 miles to I-4. The parkway would cut the distance in half, making the drive about half an hour.

The latest delay means the two-year project won't begin until February 2013.

In a statement, an Avatar company spokesman said, "We understand the critical need for this roadway and we are continuing to work toward a timely resolution on behalf of the community."

Jany Perez commuted for four years and gave up.

"Three hours daily, sitting in a car, wasting time and wasting gas," she said.

She just moved to Orlando and predicts more people will do the same if the road they were promised isn't built.

"There are a lot of you people in Poinciana going to university, trying to find jobs, so I definitely think they let us down a bit," Perez said.

What happens next with the Poinciana Parkway will be one of the big topics at a transportation workshop coming up on Jan. 23 in Osceola County.