Speed limit to stay 25 mph on Winter Springs Boulevard

Winter Springs commissioners decided to keep the controversial speed limit reduction on Winter Springs Boulevard at Monday’s City Commission meeting.

Winter Springs Deputy Mayor Rob Elliott asked the commission to reconsider the decision based on traffic studies conducted by the Winter Springs Police Department. He said that he wants this to be the Commission’s final discussion about the speed limit. 

“The 85th percentile for Winter Springs Boulevard is just over 30 mph, which would fit the narrative that the posted speed limit should be 30 mph,” Elliott said. “I’m going by statistical information as opposed to people just wanting it up or down.”

The speed limit on Winter Springs Boulevard has been a controversial topic this year, with multiple votes. Mayor Kevin McCann said residents can’t keep asking commissioners to revote the speed limit because they disagreed with the original outcome. 

“…if folks don’t like the way a vote goes, asking commissioners to put it back on over and over again,” McCann said. “I think we need to vote on something and move on.” 

Commissioner Matt Benton said he’s been thanked by residents, who are parents of young children, for implementing the slower speed limit of 25 mph and that residents may feel it’s a decision between safety or development.

“I don’t know if they [children] would ever get hurt, but I feel more comfortable… I would rather drive slow where children play,” Benton said. “I don’t want you to think I’m throwing out an emotional thing. This is what he (the resident) told me, somebody he didn’t know. I think the rest of you are called to hearing some of those other things and you’re probably also hearing the businessman who wants to get through traffic.”

McCann said Winter Springs Boulevard was the only city residential road with a speed greater than 25mph. 

“This is the only road [residential] in the entire city that’s at 30 [mph],” McCann said. ” We’re asking that it is the same as any other residential street or city-owned street.” McCann said. 

To put the discussion of the speed limit to rest, the Commission unanimously denied the motion to revert the speed limit to 30 mph on Winter Springs Boulevard. 

Future development concerns weigh in

Before the final vote, Commissioner Ted Johnson said when considering the speed limit, the Commission should consider any future developments in the area, such as the Sugarmill Apartments. 

“Since the last time we talked about this, the county presented a slide… and not only are we looking at one road… according to what I viewed on that slide, two roads are coming into Winter Spring Boulevard,” Johnson said. 

Johnson quoted Chapter 14, item five of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Speed Zoning for Highways, Roads and Streets in Florida manual. The text states:

“For subdivision streets where adjacent development is anticipated within a reasonable time, design decisions should be based on traffic speed expected to occur from such development (residential home construction). Such design decisions would include cross section, degree of curvature, super elevation (if any), treatment of fixed objects, and/or tree removal.” 

Seminole County has deemed the connection of Oviedo Medical Drive to Winter Springs Boulevard a “priority project.”

Johnson said the county’s decision to prioritize this project heavily weighed on his decision. 

 “Last time I said I would support any decision made by the [Commission], but since viewing that slide and seeing it’s a priority of the county… I support keeping it at 25 [mph],” Johnson said. 

Linda Freeburn, a retired resident, said Winter Springs shouldn’t be taking on extra traffic from Oviedo’s developments. 

“Dwell Apartments, that’s an Oviedo development, and Oviedo should take their additional share of traffic that comes from this.”  

McCann said that Winter Springs controls a conservation easement bordering with Oviedo to prevent Oviedo roads from connecting to Winter Springs Boulevard. He said the county has more power, although the city controls the easement.

“There is eminent domain; the City of Oviedo and the county have listed this as a priority project to break that conservation,” McCann said.

McCann also said Oviedo had asked him if he would release the easement.

“The mayor [Megan Sladek] and city manager [Bryan Cobb] approached me and our former city manager [Shawn Boyle], asking that we release that easement,” McCann said. “I’m not supporting that and would never support that… but they are asking for it.”

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