Not so fast

Here is a headline that caught my eye in the Orlando Sentinel today "Trail Users, Get Ready To Go Under" - Not so fast my friends - read on...

the article was about the underpass that is being built on the Seminole Wekiva Trail at Douglas Rd and 434. anyone who has ever been on this trail knows that crossing that intersection is a pain in butt and often times dangerous.

I have heard many rumors about this underpass being built and notice about a month ago that they were actually working on the underpass. As I read the article some dates and timelines really stuck out as being absurd!

The design for this underpass started in Sept 2003 and ended in August 2006 - what the heck? How does it take 3 years to design a tunnel? I am no engineer so maybe I do not understand the fine details of building an underpass but 3 years? I have been in corporate america and understand that it takes a meeting to decide what to serve at the next meeting but I have to say we could make a decision in less than 3 years (some times)

Building started in January 2008 (what the hell did they do from Aug 2006 when design was done until January 2008) and will be done (as they point out, tentative) in January 2009 - I am ok with taking 1 year to build an underpass (seems quite long to me but I can live with it). I would rather it be right than fall in on me while I am running under the road - or flood during a rain storm.

So from start of design to finish of the underpass we are looking at 5+ years - I find that incredibly long and unreasonable!

On another note - they are also building an underpass at Lake Mary Blvd - this one is only going to take 1 year 4 months to design (guess they learned something in the 3 years it took them to design the 434 one). However building will not take place until about 4-6 months after design is done and will take a year - we can expect to go under Lake Mary Blvd by 2011

Until these underpasses are complete - be careful crossing these busy intersections.

Happy Training