Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: September 9, 2025
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: N/A
FROM: Joseph C. Kunkel, P.E., Director, Public Works Department
CONTACT: Humberto L. Castillero, P.E., PTOE, Manager
PHONE: (407) 836-7891
DIVISION: Traffic Engineering Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval to decrease the speed limit on Taft Vineland Road from Central Florida Parkway to South Orange Avenue from 45/40 mph to 35 mph. Districts 1 and 4. (Traffic Engineering Division)
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PROJECT: N/A
PURPOSE:
Concerned citizens have requested Orange County to review the posted speed along Taft Vineland Road from Central Florida Parkway to South Orange Avenue. They expressed that the posted speed of 45 mph and 40 mph is too high and presents a safety risk.
Vehicular/pedestrian safety, accident statistics, current and future density, corridor speed continuity, and roadside development were the primary considerations for a speed reduction analysis along the Taft Vineland Road corridor. The Florida Department of Transportation uses a Context Sensitive Road classification when determining Target Speed. This is the speed at which vehicles should operate on a thoroughfare in a specific context, consistent with the level of multi-modal activity generated by adjacent land uses, providing both mobility and a supportive environment for vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and public transit users.
This corridor spans several context classifications from a C3C-Suburban Commercial to a C3R-Suburban Residential with an allowable target speed range of 35 to 55 mph. Observations show that the current 85th percentile speeds range from 38 to 54 mph. Crash data analysis indicates 806 crashes from 01/2020 through 12/2024, and that around 28% of the crashes resulted in injuries, with four fatalities over five years. Considering the context classification, commercial land use, inadequate clear zone, the presence of one school zone along the corridor, ...
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