Lazister Walker relies on an electric scooter to get around Eatonville, but the stretch of Kennedy Boulevard near his home at the Ekos Apartments has no sidewalk, so he rolls alongside moving traffic just to reach nearby stores. It is an uncomfortable routine he repeats regularly, and one that will likely continue for years while Orange County works through a major road widening project meant to eventually fix the problem.
WKMG reports that Walker rides his scooter alongside traffic on a stretch without a sidewalk. Orange County is widening Kennedy Boulevard from All American Boulevard, expanding the corridor from two lanes to four, with the project set to be completed in two phases, per the same report.
A $41 Million Contract and a 2029 Finish Line
The scope and timeline behind that work come from infrastructure contractor Granite Construction, which was awarded a $41 million contract in May 2026 by Orange County, with funding from Orange County Public Works and the Florida Department of Transportation, to widen Kennedy Boulevard and align All American Boulevard, according to Granite Construction. Construction was expected to begin in June 2026 and is not expected to wrap until January 2029, meaning residents like Walker may be navigating active traffic lanes for about two years and three months from October 2026.
Orange County's Kennedy Boulevard project is a road widening, according to Orange County Public Works. The work is underway while Walker's stretch near his home remains without a sidewalk.
Residents Invited to Weigh In on Project
Eatonville residents were invited to weigh in on the West Kennedy Boulevard widening at a community meeting, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Florida law addresses motorized scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices in provisions including § 316.2128, per Online Sunshine, and § 316.2068, per Justia Law. Separately, Florida Statute § 316.2068 allows electric personal assistive mobility devices to use sidewalks as long as riders yield to pedestrians and give audible signals, while also giving municipalities authority to regulate sidewalk use, per Justia Law. Where sidewalks are missing, as on Walker's stretch of Kennedy Boulevard, riders like him are left with vehicle travel lanes as their only option.
A Historic Town and a Local Safety Concern
The Town of Eatonville was founded in 1887 and was one of the first towns incorporated by freedmen. Kennedy Boulevard is among the corridors being widened.
With no sidewalk along Walker's stretch, he must travel beside traffic, a challenge for people using mobility devices.
Development Debates Still Simmer in Eatonville
The road project unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing friction over land use in Eatonville. A lawsuit over the remaining 100 acres of the historic Hungerford School property has become one focus of development debates in the town. That dispute, alongside the Kennedy Boulevard construction, reflects a community weighing how modernization efforts intersect with its historic character and residents' daily needs. For now, Walker and his neighbors are left watching the construction advance in phases, waiting for a sidewalk that is still years from reality.
