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Lake County road closure could last up to a year after being ravaged by Hurricane Milton

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Published  January 8, 2025 11:33pm EST
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando

Lake County road closure could last up to a year

Britt Road in Lake County is still a mess after Hurricane Milton. Leaders confirm to FOX 35 News that it may take upwards of a year before you can drive through it again.

The Brief

    • Lake County's Britt Road, severely damaged by Hurricane Milton, may remain closed for up to a year, causing significant delays for local drivers.
    • County officials are planning a redesign of the road to improve storm runoff, secure funding, and acquire land from nearby property owners for repairs.
    • The road repair project, expected to cost between $1.5 million and $3 million, aims for a solid timeline within the next two months.

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - Britt Road in Lake County is still a mess after Hurricane Milton. Leaders confirm to FOX 35 News that it may take upwards of a year before you can drive through it again.

"I would say best-case scenario eight months and worst-case at least a year," said Leslie Campione, Lake County Chairman.

County Chair Leslie Campione hopes for the best. The narrow road makes a big difference for drivers.

"Used daily by thousands of travelers who are either going to Wekiva Parkway or coming home from using Wekiva Parkway," said Campione. "Understand it's a huge inconvenience for people."

Hurricane Milton washed away a portion of the road almost three months ago.

"It collapsed like a toy," said Edwin A Colon, a neighbor.

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Edwin A Colon lives right next to the area that's now impassable. For the last few months, his commute has included a detour towards Wolf Branch Road and extra time.

"Five to 10 minutes," said Colon.

It's not too bad for him, but county leaders say it's added more time for others.

So what's on the to-do list to get this road repaired?

County leaders say they're looking into a road re-design to accommodate more storm run-off to prevent a repeat, working with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the U.S. Department of Transportation because it's a federal road, securing funding, and negotiating with nearby property owners.

"Can't rebuild it how it was before, so we have to buy land from property owners adjacent to the road," said Campione.

County leaders say they hope to have a solidified timeline within the next two months.

The project is expected to cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $3 million.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Lake County officials and residents.

 

Lake County