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Commission approves road-diet option for Connect Kissimmee, pushes construction start to 2026
Summary
Kissimmee commissioners approved adding a road-diet to the Connect Kissimmee design to widen sidewalks and slow traffic. The change delays the construction start by about 8–9 months but is expected to reduce total disruption and allow coordinated construction across phases.
The Kissimmee City Commission on May 6, 2025 approved including a road-diet in the Phase 1 design of the Connect Kissimmee complete-streets project, accepting an 8–9 month delay to construction start so the lane reduction and wider sidewalks can be built as part of the initial contract.
City Engineer David Gomez briefed the commission on a revised design that reduces Broadway from four travel lanes to one lane in each direction (a road diet) to accommodate wider sidewalks, on-street parking and safer bicycle accommodations. Gomez said after discussions with the Florida Department of Transportation, "the road diet is a possibility and can be included in the current design and the subsequent construction of the project," but it shifts the start of construction later in 2026 so the project phases align.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the road-diet option better supports downtown walkability and business activation by widening pedestrian zones and allowing brick paving across Broadway, but it also changes the construction schedule. Staff said including the change now reduces duplicative work and overall public disruption because the lane reduction and streetscape elements will be built in one coordinated contract.
Key schedule details and scope - Phase 1 (current focus) runs from Osceola Avenue/Broadway to Neptune and includes a roundabout near the police station at the Ruby/Stewart/Broadway intersection, on-street parking, bike accommodations and resurfacing. Under the road-diet revision, construction start moves from late 2025 to about August 2026 and completion shifts into 2028; Phase 2 (other Main Street segments) will align with that timing. - Staff said the redesign could yield cost savings and better quality by avoiding piecemeal rework. The design team also proposed brick paving along Broadway, not only at intersections, to slow traffic and improve downtown appearance.
Action taken: Vice Mayor Eady made the motion to approve the revised design that includes the road diet; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The commission instructed staff to notify FDOT and proceed with final design changes so the project can be advertised and bid under the revised schedule.
Context and next steps: The project is funded in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation and the city. Commissioners asked staff to develop an outreach plan for downtown businesses to explain construction staging and to require the contractor to provide regular merchant updates during construction. The city’s operating plan includes staged construction to preserve special events (holiday parades, Art in the Park) by sequencing work away from high-event periods.
Ending: The commission approved the road-diet inclusion to prioritize pedestrian safety and downtown activation. Staff will finalize plans with FDOT and return procurement documents under the revised schedule so construction can begin in late 2026 and finish in 2028.
