The Central Florida Expressway Authority faces some heated criticism Friday over the agency’s proposed toll roads through Split Oak Forest and Bithlo.

Residents, environmentalists decry Bithlo, Split Oak plans

Central Florida Expressway Authority proposals for a toll road in Bithlo and another in Split Oak Forest were staunchly denounced on Friday by residents and environmentalists.

The toll-road agency received a concept for the Bithlo road and approved an advanced study for the Split Oak road.

Public comment was often emotional and touched on accusations that the agency was uncaring and corrupt.

One of the agency’s members, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, urged the commenters to steer clear of “false accusations” and to give the agency “the benefit of the doubt” as concerned about the fate of homes and the environment. The authority’s consideration of a road through Bithlo is framed by the state Department of Transportation also considering building a road through the unincorporated community in east Orange County.

Either road would link the largely urban State Road 408 with the rural State Road 520 as part of a goal to eventually link S.R. 408 with Interstate 95.

The expressway authority will not further act on its road proposal until the state releases its concept for consideration.

The authority’s road would cross Bithlo south of State Road 50. The state’s version – about a year from making a public appearance – would align with S.R. 50.

The expressway authority received the concept of a route south of S.R. 50, prepared by staff and consultants at a cost of more than $3 million, but did so without commenting on its viability.

At least a half-dozen commenters were from the Deerwood mobile-home park that extends south from S.R. 50. They expressed fears their community would be significantly disrupted.

“It’s a very nice community. Where do you find that anymore?” said Susan Pautz, who described her neighborhood as a place for “your average Joe.”

She said many of the homes have been modified with porches and other features, rendering them unmovable.

“We have no place to go,” Pautz said.

Heeding those and other comments, the expressway authority opted to delete $17 million earmarked for designing a Bithlo expressway, meaning funding would have to be reapproved later.

Approval for a study of an expressway through the Split Oak Forest was made with no comment by agency members.

As in past meetings, several people remarked that the agency would violate the public’s trust by putting a road in a conservation area.

One commenter, Kimberly Buchheit, a land surveyor who lives in Apopka, said the expressway authority’s consideration of a Split Oak road has been directed by back-room deals that “prevent the public from understanding how the alignment is actually being selected.”

South of the Orlando International Airport, the proposed road is called the Osceola Parkway Extension.

It would be key to a vast project by Tavistock Development Co. and Deseret Ranches.

The expressway authority approved spending $1.2 million on an extensive study of a route and other features.