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Road Project Causes Ire In Downtown Eustis

    The Florida Department of Transportation’s reworking of SR 19 through downtown Eustis is causing all of the headaches one would expect for a curbing project in such a tight space.  Lane consolidation, travel delays, and a generally chaotic situation is expected to continue off and on through the $9.6 million project’s expected completion date sometime next summer.  But for some, what the project is set to leave behind is even worse than the headaches being caused right now.
    “It’s like a business homicide.”
    George Warren of Bay Pharmacy this week is sounding the call that the project’s lasting impact on downtown is going to go far beyond its stated goals of slowing traffic throughout the area while enhancing pedestrian safety.  A loss of parking, and more difficulty accessing that parking, is going to have a permanent negative impact, says Warren.
    "They aren't taking into consideration the people they are impacting," Warren said, while viewing asphalt cuts and painting marks outside of Bay Pharmacy that show where new curbing will be installed. The result will be fewer parking spaces, more trouble getting into and out of the spaces, and an increase in congestion as traffic is forced to negotiate the new curbing.
    Bay Pharmacy uses the parallel parking next to its location for a customer curbside service area, where customers with mobility issues can simply pull up and have their prescriptions brought out to them.  The new project will result in that process becoming much more difficult, according to Warren.
    "DOT is taking away the ability for us to help our patients," Warren said, describing a situation in the future where customers won't be able to simply pull in as they currently can, but will need to stop and back in due to a decrease in overall space.
    “People can’t be expected to do that,” Warren said.  “It’s too dangerous.” The result?  Customers will be forced to park further away and struggle to walk the distance to the pharmacy, seek a more expensive home delivery option, or shop for their pharmaceutical needs elsewhere.  None of the three options are good ones to Warren.
    “I feel they are taking away our ability to take care of our customers.”
    Warren has met with city officials, who he says have been very helpful, but are also limited due to the project falling under state control.
    “The city has been awesome, there’s just not much they can do.”
    An additional problem for Warren is the increased stormwater pressure the new curbing will put on already substandard infrastructure in the area.
    “When it rains, this sidewalk is covered with water,” Warren said, pointing to the sidewalk between the pharmacy and Bay Street.  “The curbing is just going to push more water to an area that isn’t able to handle what it has now. They have no drainage plan.”
    The project has brought another problem. Installed 'traffic tables' at intersections have resulted in increased vibration in the area, especially when large trucks bounce over them.  Not only are wall items being shaken, but Warren has concerns over the potential long-term damage to the area's historic, in some cases very old, buildings in the downtown area.
    When looking at the plans for the project, and seeing its negative impacts on downtown, Warren is left with wondering why the state is spending so much money that, in his opinion, will only make things worse.
    “It doesn’t make sense.”