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Clermont commissioner highlights local crash hotspots and rising Lake County fatalities
Summary
At the Oct. 7 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting Commissioner Tadona described traffic safety problems at local intersections and cited statewide crash data showing an increase in Lake County fatalities, urging caution and attention to infrastructure needs.
Commissioner Tadona used his Oct. 7 Planning & Zoning report to highlight several local traffic safety concerns and to draw attention to an uptick in crash fatalities in Lake County.
Tadona described observed conflicts at the Panic Ridge Road/US‑27 intersection near Chick‑fil‑A and a blind approach near Bob Evans and Culver’s, urging drivers "please be careful" when navigating those turn movements. He said he had shared photographs and notes with the City Council and the Lake County commissioners and cited state traffic data: "In 2024, for all of Lake County, there were 49 crash fatalities in vehicles. There were 94 bicycle crashes, and there were 4 fatalities from bicycles," he said, adding that through September 2025 the county had recorded 52 traffic fatalities and five bicycle fatalities so far.
Why it matters: Rising crash and bicycle fatality counts, along with observed intersections with limited sight distance and few pedestrian facilities, raise questions about whether road and intersection upgrades are needed in parts of Clermont that are experiencing new development and higher traffic volumes.
Local context and staff response
Tadona described how loading of a lane by vehicles queuing for a drive‑through can back traffic up into the main road and create conflicts with turning vehicles. He showed photographs of a narrow approach and a blind corner at a shopping entrance near Bob Evans and Culver’s and noted the lack of crosswalks and physical traffic calming.
John Crews of Planning and Development Services told the commission the crash dashboard included a pie chart breaking down the accidents and fatalities by policing agency but did not list specific locations. Commissioner Niemiec reminded residents that much of the local road network is under county or state control and encouraged residents to contact the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and county commissioners about roadway safety and funding priorities.
No formal action was taken. Commissioners and staff agreed the county and MPO are the appropriate forums for many of the changes Tadona suggested, and they encouraged residents to file requests and comments with county officials to seek traffic‑safety improvements.
Ending
Tadona said he planned to continue compiling observations and data to press for upgrades, noting, "the more traffic in an area that hasn't had infrastructure upgrades means more accidents." No short‑term city policy action was adopted in the meeting; the item was presented as a commissioner report and a call for continued community engagement with county and MPO officials.
