Feature Story & Photos By Larry H. Oskin
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners hosted a special ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of Citrus Grove Road Phase One on Wednesday, October 23 at the intersection of Citrus Grove Road and North Hancock Road here in Minneola, Florida.
Citrus Grove Road Phase One: This new $6.6 million 4-lane highway was primarily funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and County transportation impact fees. Funding also included partnership funding from the City of Minneola as well as more than $1 million in donated properties for the right of way. This new road will provide much-improved access to the Florida Turnpike Minneola Interchange along with area schools, parks and shopping. It extends from Grassy Lake Road to North Hancock Road and features a 120-foot-wide right of way, an exciting newly paved multi-use sidewalk trail for jogging, walking and biking.
According to Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks, “The final new completion for Phase One of Citrus Grove Road will add to the economic growth that the new North Hancock Road and Minneola Turnpike Interchange have already brought to the region. This complete project will conveniently connect Montverde to U.S. Highway 27. This new highway will also have a tremendous impact on our local road network.”
The ceremonial program included remarks from Sean Parks, the Florida Department of Transportation District 5 Secretary, Michael Shannon, City of Minneola Mayor Pat Kelley, and Davis Colby, the President of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Charlie Foss, a surprise extra unplanned speaker, came up from the audience to add a heartfelt thank you and to congratulate Lake County. Originally a dairy farmer from Western New York, Foss is legally blind and retired with his wife here in Minneola.
Following all of the remarks, there was an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with everyone who took part in this enormous project. Immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Citrus Grove Road Phase One was officially opened to traffic. Phase Two for this ongoing road access and improvement project will begin soon.
For more information about Phase One and Phase Two for this new road, contact the Lake County Public Works Department at 352-343-6439 and visit: https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/public_works/.
Larry Oskin is a writer and photographer for the South Lake Tablet. He is the owner of Marketing Solutions / Art Beautique, offering creative marketing, media relations and professional fine art photography services. He is a Board Member of the Clermont Downtown Partnership, the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra and the Clermont Historic Society.
For more information, contact Oskin at 703-508-6800 or at LOskin@MktgSols.com.
