SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Work has begun in Seminole County on a so-called $5 million road to nowhere.
The road project was approved by Seminole County commissioners to connect 17-92 to Eslinger Way.
The problem with the project is there are already three entrances that connect to that road within a quarter of a mile.
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Seminole County calls itself the natural choice, but an area once lush with trees is now barren, and soon a swamp will be replaced with man-made retention ponds.
All of this work will be done for a road that will be a couple hundred feet from other exits.
This week, crews tore down the trees next to the Seminole County Courthouse, changing the lush natural landscape of the area known as Five Points.
A new four-way stoplight has been installed on 17-92 in preparation for the road to be built.
"Obviously we are trying to master plan Five Points to be a government center," said Seminole County Commissioner Brenda Carey. "It is in the center of the county. It's more centrally located. And of course, it's a phased approach but getting our access points tied down early on is important."
Carey said this road was planned years ago to be the access point for the old Flea World property, which has sat empty for the last four years.
Carey said in one version of their master plan to reconfigure this area for the county government complex, the access road from 17-92 to County Homes Road goes away.
"That is one of the plans," Carey said. "Let just say we vacate that road and we give access to the college with this road that's got the light. Then that light could be eliminated. Then the county could better use that road to situate the buildings."
As for the new government complex, it's still in the planning phase and still has to be approved by commissioners if they like what they see.
Carey said the county has plans to replace the tree that were removed with something more Florida friendly, when the road is finally built.
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