Commissioners direct staff to pursue financing options to accelerate Hartwood Marsh and SR 44B improvements

Commissioner Parks on Oct. 14 urged the Lake County Board of County Commissioners to consider short-term financing so two longstanding traffic projects — Hartwood Marsh Road improvements and State Road 44B upgrades — can move into construction sooner than currently scheduled by FDOT.

Parks and several speakers said Hartwood Marsh Road, particularly the section that connects to Wellness Way and State Road 27, experiences severe congestion at peak hours that affects emergency response, school access and daily commutes. Residents described multi‑decade delays and safety concerns; Clermont and Eustis officials also urged quicker action on SR 44B, which has several choke points and intersections that lack turn lanes.

Parks proposed staff present options to bridge costs between immediate construction and later reimbursements from FDOT (and other sources such as impact fees or penny sales tax allocations). He suggested a short-term bridge loan (three‑ to five‑year term) as an option and asked staff to engage the county’s financial advisor to produce a schedule of options and amortization scenarios.

Commissioners asked staff to explore alternate funding arrangements and interlocal partnerships, including seeking contributions from affected municipalities, and to return with a formal agenda item describing financing options and payback sources. County staff said funding for portions of both projects has been identified in later years but that construction now would incur higher costs; parks’ proposal is intended to capture lower current construction prices and start work in 2026 if feasible.

The board directed staff to prepare more detailed financial analysis and to return at the next meeting with options; commissioners emphasized the need for clear payback plans and possible phased or choke-point approaches to make progress without overcommitting county funds.