DOT work on State Road 426 to begin Aug. 3; Winter Park staff to coordinate neighborhood impacts

Charles Ramdatt, Director of Public Works and Transportation, updated the commission on FDOT's State Road 426 reconstruction project (Fairbanks/Aloma). He said FDOT completed design, advertised for bids, selected a contractor, and held an open house on July 13. FDOT and the contractor plan to start mobilization and preliminary work on August 3, beginning in the Park Avenue area and progressing east to Lakemont.

Ramdatt said the work will include utility coordination, exploratory digs and both daytime and nighttime operations. "Daytime will not see much in terms of lane closures. At night we will have two sets of lane closures nights and weekends," he said, noting lane-closure timing limits near intersections to reduce daytime congestion. Property access will be maintained, and the city will coordinate with major institutions such as Rollins College to minimize impacts.

He advised residents to consult the DOT project page (CFLRoads.com) for updates and noted a primary contact, Ryan Iglesias, for questions. Ramdatt said the city will continue to act as an advocate for Winter Park residents throughout construction and will return with updates to the commission as needed. The FDOT target for substantial completion is before the fall 2027 school term for Orange County Public Schools.