The City of Maitland is rebuilding traffic signals at the intersection of Sandspur Road and Maitland Avenue – the next step in long-term plans to improve one of the area’s busiest neighborhood streets.
Preparations will continue next week to install new poles and mast arms for the traffic signals. Crews will assemble the pole casings and dig underground cables within the next two weeks. The new poles and signals could be finished by the end of the month.
The goal is to remove overhead cables and to strengthen the signals against heavy storms. The north median on Maitland Avenue will be modified to extend recreational trail access across the roadway.
Sandspur Road will be resurfaced among other improvements that will extend through next year. Parts of the road and curbs will be leveled and rebuilt to correct years of damage from tree roots. New median curbs will be built, and some areas will be re-landscaped.
Pedestrian crosswalks will be restriped at several streets. Areas of damaged sidewalk also will be rebuilt on the south side of Sandspur. The city is exploring ways to rebuild the intersections with Lake Colony Drive and Covewood Trail to address settlement under the roadway pavers.
Sandspur will be restriped, removing the roadway bike lane. The East-West Connector Trail was completed last year along the north side of Sandspur. More than a mile of trail improved access for cyclists and pedestrians, doubling the width of former sidewalks, which were cracking in certain areas and often required city maintenance.
The Florida Department of Transportation is building another important section of the trail - a new pedestrian bridge crossing 10 lanes on Interstate 4 just west of Sandspur Road. The bridge is expected to be completed later this year.
Maitland received a $200,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to help build the city trail section along Sandspur.