At Apopka Boulevard and Sheeler Avenue, the curb ramps and pedestrian refuge islands are in place, but the crossing remains unfinished: the signals are covered and there are no painted crosswalk markings. Ruby Johns, who crosses regularly, says she still worries about being struck by traffic.
Johns told WKMG ClickOrlando that she and a friend have had close calls while crossing near the intersection, and that drivers do not always appear ready to stop for pedestrians. She said she had noticed the work was unfinished for roughly a month and a half to two months.
Concrete Work Wrapped in July, But Signals Stalled
The county issued the notice to proceed for the concrete work on June 16, and contractors completed the curb ramps and pedestrian refuge islands by July 2, according to the station's reporting. The concrete work cost $36,385. The two refuge islands are intended to let pedestrians cross in stages, stopping midway rather than crossing the full intersection at once.
The signal work and crosswalk markings have not followed. The crossing signals remain covered, and painted crosswalk markings are absent, the outlet reported. On October 22, Orange County said the pedestrian signal upgrades remained unfinished because of conflicts with overhead power lines.
Who's Responsible for What
The work involves both the city and the county: Apopka maintains the existing traffic signal, while Orange County is responsible for upgrading it to include pedestrian signals, according to the station. Orange County Public Works said the improvements are a county project with some responsibilities shared with Apopka. The county is coordinating with the city and the power company on next steps, but has not provided a completion date for the signal installation or a separate timeline for the crosswalk markings.
Isaiah Celestine, 19, crosses the intersection nearly every weekday on his way to school. He rated its current safety 3.5 out of 10, adding another account of the concerns faced by people who use the crossing regularly.
Viewer Reports Raise Questions About the Refuge Islands
A viewer who contacted the station reported tire marks on parts of the refuge islands and said school buses appeared to have difficulty turning onto Apopka Boulevard. The viewer also reported that some southbound drivers on Sheeler Avenue had driven onto nearby grass to avoid the new concrete curbs. The station noted that these reports have not been independently established as evidence of an engineering or construction defect. Orange County did not specifically say whether engineers had inspected the reported turning difficulties or whether changes to the islands were under consideration.
Part of a Broader County Safety Push
The stalled signal work comes as Orange County has leaned into pedestrian-safety messaging more broadly. The county has adopted the national Vision Zero initiative aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries while improving safe mobility, and Orange County Public Works has said pedestrian safety is a top priority, pointing to programs and strategies meant to improve walking and biking safety countywide. Mayor Jerry L. Demings initiated the Accelerated Transportation Safety Program, which provides $100 million for transit, safety, sidewalk and lighting projects, and the county has reported that 76 projects have been completed under that program so far, including 44 new sidewalks, 25 roadway-lighting enhancements and seven safety-specific improvements.
That context matters locally: Orange County has been identified as the third-deadliest county for pedestrians in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as cited by Orange County Government. A nearby stretch of Sheeler Avenue, from North Orange Blossom Trail to South Apopka Boulevard, was listed as completed back in June 2024 under the same safety program, as reported by Orange County Government, making the current gap at Apopka Boulevard and Sheeler Avenue stand out against the county's own track record.
Pedestrian fatalities in Apopka
The City of Apopka reports that 18 pedestrians were killed on Apopka roadways from 2018 to 2022, excluding limited-access facilities, according to the city. That citywide figure does not identify this intersection as a crash location, and it does not provide a year-by-year statewide trend.
Johns wants the pedestrian signals operating and crosswalk markings in place. The station reported that she said the signals should operate as intended, and that News 6 planned to continue seeking a completion date and answers about whether additional safety measures are planned for the intersection.
