Local

Five-mile section of Wekiva Parkway opens

Drivers in northwest Orange County will have an easier commute come Monday morning with the opening of five more miles of the Wekiva Parkway.

The five-mile stretch, which goes from Kelly Park Road to State Road 46, will open Saturday afternoon after an event in the morning where runners ran a 5K on the newly completed stretch of road.

The Parkway will provide travel alternatives and relieve congestion on U.S. 441, officials said.

Mount Dora city leaders cut the ribbon on the new section of parkway Saturday morning.

The opening makes it so that half of the 25-mile Wekiva Parkway project has now been completed.

Officials believe the parkway will open the area up for more commercial and residential development and could pump millions into the area economy.

WATCH: Wekiva Parkway to open a year ahead of schedule

Myrt Price

Myrt Price, WFTV.com

Myrt Price joined the eyewitness news team as a general assignment reporter in October of 2012.