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Officials with State of Florida Department of transportation are taking short-term action after a tragic weekend on area roads — including five fatalities across two accidents about 10 miles apart on SR-82.<\/p>\nOfficials with State of Florida Department of transportation are taking short-term action after a tragic weekend on area roads — including five fatalities across two accidents about 10 miles apart on SR-82.<\/p>\n
“It’s tough any time you see the loss of a human life and especially even more so when children are involved as well. So our hearts go out to the family. It’s tough on us, it’s tough on everyone here and I can only imagine what the families are going to go through,” said Lt. Greg Bueno, FHP.<\/p>\n
“They need to be out there writing citations for drivers who aren’t acting safely,” said Zachary Burch, of the Florida Department of Transportation. “Believe me, you’d much rather get a ticket than you would have what happened last night.?”<\/p>\n
Barch said the agency has made some improvements, including some turn lanes added at key intersections. And some more noticeable construction — widening, medians and sidewalks — will begin over the next several months. But they’ll take years to complete.<\/p>\n
In the long run, Burch said, FDOT will spend near $200 million.<\/p>\n
“These projects take time,” he said. “We have to design them. We have to buy right of way, and then we have to construct them.”<\/p>\n
In the meantime, FDOT will look at the speed limits and see if they’re appropriate for the area. The traffic study, Burch said, will take a few months.<\/p>\n