WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A residential Winter Haven road has become a cut-through for drivers trying to avoid traffic, and neighbors say speeding is creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and children.
Now, the city is moving forward with a $1.2 million traffic safety project along 8th Street Northwest using funding from the Florida Department of Transportation.
For Tamara Antemesaris, the issue is personal. She says her husband was hit by a speeding driver on 8th Street Northwest about two years ago.
“My husband was hit by a car and had a concussion,” Antemesaris said.
Antemesaris says speeding has been a problem since she moved into the neighborhood in 2006. She previously petitioned the city to install speed humps along the road.
“There was so many people speeding on this road that I petitioned the city to have speed humps put in, so they did do that. It slowed down the traffic a little bit, but it still is a problem,” Antemesaris said.
Neighbors say the residential area has become a popular cut-through, creating concerns for people walking and biking.
“This is a cut through from Lake Howard to US 17. They’re bypassing a light to get there,” Antemesaris said.
Stephanie Conlon, another resident, said families in the neighborhood have to be especially cautious.
“Our kids here are not safe when they want to ride their bikes and skateboard. I always have to come out and make sure they are crossing the street properly,” Conlon said.
The city is now working on a project designed to address some of those concerns.
Brittany Hart, Winter Haven's public works director, said the $1.2 million FDOT-funded project will focus on improving pedestrian safety and calming traffic along 8th Street Northwest.
“The resurfacing of the roadway, filling the pedestrian gaps, so adding sidewalk hopefully on both sides. It’ll also improve the intersections. We're going to be looking to see if there are intersection improvements that can be done at Howard Terrace and Avenue L Northwest," Hart said.
Antemesaris says she would like to see additional changes, including making the road one-way.
“I would like to see a one-way through here, a sidewalk and a one-way because we have so many kids in this neighborhood and I want them all to be safe. To be able to walk without worrying about traffic," she said.
The project is currently in the design phase, with construction slated to begin late 2027.
Residents say they hope the improvements will make it safer for families to walk, bike and live in the growing neighborhood.
Challenges over Florida's school bus and school speed zone camera face setbacks as legal battles continue
Cameras catching drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses or speed through school zones are generating millions of citations across Florida — and a growing wave of legal challenges.
