The Florida Department of Transportation is inviting Ocala residents to a public open house on Thursday to discuss significant safety and operational upgrades planned for State Road 40.
The open house will be held on Thursday, May 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the College of Central Florida, Ewers Century Center, Building 40, located at 3001 SW College Road. Attendees will be able to view project displays, watch a looping presentation, and speak directly with the project team.
The project focuses on the intersection of Silver Springs Boulevard (S.R. 40) and SW 27th Avenue. According to project details, FDOT plans to widen both the eastbound and westbound approaches of S.R. 40 to accommodate dual left-turn lanes. Additionally, the eastbound side of S.R. 40 will be widened to include an exclusive right-turn lane.
The upgrades also extend to SW 27th Avenue, where the existing median will be reconstructed to provide dual left-turn lanes for both northbound and southbound traffic. To support these new lane configurations, the existing traffic signal will be reconfigured.
For those unable to attend in person, the following virtual options are available:
- Online Webinar: A live webinar will begin at 5:30 p.m. on May 21. Participants must register in advance through the GoToWebinar link provided by FDOT.
- Project Website: Exhibits and materials will be posted at www.cflroads.com/project/451251-1 starting May 21. Comments and questions can be submitted through the site directly to the project manager.
To ensure feedback is included in the official open house record, all comments or questions must be submitted by Thursday, June 4.
What are your thoughts on the proposed changes to State Road 40? Share your comments below or, if you have more to say, write a letter to the editor.