OVIEDO, Fla. — Drivers may welcome upcoming improvements to State Road 417, but for some Oviedo residents, construction tied to the widening project is already rattling homes.
Florida Department of Transportation crews are preparing to begin heavy work along the Seminole Expressway as part of a major expansion project.
The work will eventually double the roadway from four lanes to eight between Aloma Avenue and State Road 434. The finished work is expected to ease congestion and improve interchanges, but neighbors living closest to the project say the impact is already being felt.
In the Seneca Bend neighborhood, residents told Channel 9 they are hearing loud noises and experiencing vibrations even before the most disruptive phase begins.
“I can hear a big banging, big banging and it lasts for a while,” said Betty Ambrosini, who lives near the construction zone.
Albert Persampiere said the activity has set tremors through his home.
“It’s shaking the windows, for sure,” he said.
Persampiere said the noise often continues into the evening hours.
“I’m at work Monday through Friday until about five o’clock, but when I get home at five, they’re still going,” he said. ”It just reverberates through the whole neighborhood.”
Now, residents are bracing for pile-driving operations scheduled to last about a month. According to project details, work will take place daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is expected to continue through February 6.
Before any potential complaint calls, Oviedo’s mayor posted a reminder to residents that the FDOT, not the city, is managing the widening project. The post also suggests residents consider using white noise machines to cope with the noise.
According to FDOT, crews will oversee the work to reduce impacts, but residents should still anticipate daily noise, vibrations, and temporary lane shifts during construction.
Despite the inconvenience, some neighbors acknowledge the long-term benefits of the expansion.
“I’m glad to see that they’re finally doing the expansion,” said Persampiere. ”I just am not happy that I have to live next to it.”
“I hope they put a wall in when they’re done,” said Ambrosini.
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