Orlando residents and commuters are bracing for the start of a significant infrastructure overhaul. The City's Summerlin Avenue Improvement Project, which aims to update the nearly 80-year-old utility systems between Marks Street and South Street, is scheduled to launch on January 13th. As reported by My News 13, the project intends to improve pedestrian safety and modernize water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater systems while acknowledging the inevitable traffic snarls, road closures, and other inconveniences associated with such a vast construction effort.

Specifically, the intersection of East Robinson Street and Summerlin Avenue is slated for a complete shutdown for three months at the beginning of the project, posing an immediate test of patience and logistics for the bustling community. With work primarily occurring during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the city, residents like Howard Middle School parent Livia Andrade already foresee added strain on their schedules "We have traffic every single day and imagine with the construction now, it’s going to be just a mess," Andrade stated, as per My News 13, referencing the additional twenty minutes the current roadwork has tacked onto her daily commute.

While the project completion is eyed for Spring/Summer 2028, short-term disruptions are inevitable—road closures will twine through the heart of Orlando's commute, reaching from South Street to Robinson Street and Robinson Street to State Road 50/Colonial Drive to Marks Street Intersection, WESH reported. Additional temporary traffic disruptions are on the horizon as work progresses in two-block sections, inevitably requiring flexibility from the community and possibly necessitating some night and weekend work to keep things on track. However, the city maintains that essential services like trash pickups will continue on schedule, an assurance amidst the din of redevelopment. Full details of the project can be found on orlando.gov/summerlin.