Orange County Recognized for Pedestrian Safety Efforts
In recent years, Orange County transportation engineers and planners have been tasked with converting aging, vehicle-prioritized roadways into safe, multimodal thoroughfares that serve pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and drivers alike.
Significant safety enhancement projects have been completed across several corridors, transforming the look and feel of Orange County’s streets:
- Oak Ridge Road – completed November 2024
- Rio Grande Avenue – completed November 2024
- Pine Hills Road & Silver Star Road – completed December 2024
- Alafaya Trail and University Boulevard – completed March 2025
- Orange Blossom Trail – completed by the Florida Department of Transportation
Improvements on these roads include pedestrian channelization fencing, rapid-flashing pedestrian beacons, improved lighting, new sidewalks, buffered bike lanes and improved crosswalks — each project anchored by one unifying goal: saving lives.
Recent accolades as a result of these efforts include:
- At the 2025 Central Florida Safety Summit, Orange County earned the Project Award for its UCF Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project featuring mid-block signalized crosswalks, upgraded LED lighting and a 10-foot shared-used path.
- In June 2025, the Rio Grande Pedestrian Safety Project received the Large Agency Project of the Year award from the Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents (FACERS), citing strong collaboration with the City of Orlando, LYNX and OCPS.
- In June 2025, Orange County was recognized by the National Association of Counties with a 2025 Achievement Award for its Accelerated Transportation Safety Program — a five-year, $100 million initiative aimed at tackling critical road and transit safety needs across the County.
Together, these transformative infrastructure upgrades and award-winning projects not only enhance safety and livability today — but also pave the way for a more accessible, resilient and equitable transportation future in Orange County.