Seminole County greenlights Midway drainage work and schedule for destination‑trail; groundbreaking set for March 25
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Summary
County staff outlined phased construction for the Midway drainage improvement project and a linked destination trail, naming award amounts, an FDEP grant and a March 25 groundbreaking; commissioners praised long community advocacy and approved continued procurement and phasing.
Seminole County on Monday detailed a multi‑phase plan to address chronic flooding in the Midway neighborhood and to add a linked destination trail and park amenities. Public works staff said construction will begin in spring 2026 and continue through 2027 for the first phases.
“Sub‑bid package 1a—improvements along Jack Court, Huey Street, Sipes Avenue, Dixon Avenue and Water Street—was awarded at just over $2,400,000, with a pre‑construction meeting on Feb. 12 and construction estimated to start in March 2026,” said George Jimenez, the Midway project manager. He said the county expects to complete that section in 2027. Sub‑bid package 1b was reported at just over $2,600,000 and expected to start in April 2026; sub‑bid package 2b was listed at about $5,500,000 and slated for later in 2026.
Jimenez said several other subpackages are advancing through right‑of‑way acquisition and permitting. The county also secured a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) grant of $1,300,000 to support sub‑bid package 2c. A ceremonial groundbreaking for the project is scheduled for March 25 at 10 a.m. at the Bridal Community Center.
Parks and recreation staff described complementary work to create an approximately 1‑mile paved path along the lake bank with exercise stations, a culvert crossing and a new fishing pier at Roseland Park. The project team said consolidation of undivided lots and rezoning of the lake parcel have been completed to enable construction and park improvements.
Emery Greene Jr. of the Midway Coalition, who spoke during public comment, called the construction milestone “a big moment in time” after years of community advocacy. Commissioners credited multi‑department cooperation and extensive outreach for advancing the project, and emphasized that additional grant revenue and phased work will be needed to extend drainage fixes beyond the current packages.
County staff said contracts were competitively bid and in many cases came in at or slightly below construction estimates; they recommended proceeding with the prepared bid packages and final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) work with the construction manager. Construction timelines for phases 1a and 1b were described as March–April 2026 starts with estimated completion in 2027, while phase 2b will follow later in 2026.
The board did not take separate formal votes on each subpackage at the meeting; staff said they will return with final GMPs and contract documents as required before construction begins.
