ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — University Boulevard and Alafaya Trail, located near the University of Central Florida, have always served as busy crossing points for students traveling between the campus, shops and housing.
“I stay careful. You know, I bike defensively,” said UCF student Paul Toma.
Thanks to major upgrades led by Orange County, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and UCF, the intersection is now safer for students and pedestrians.
“That definitely helps us step in the right direction,” said UCF student Marcus Ineus.
It’s been a long time coming. As the county and UCF’s campus population grew, so did the number of pedestrian-involved crashes in the area. In March 2014, Broke Dawkins died after she was hit by a car at the intersection.
“It seems like that was the catalyst for then President Hitt of UCF and then Mayor Theresa Jacobs of Orange County to come together to talk about doing something,” said Brian Sanders, Transportation Manager with Orange County Public Works.
In response, officials launched a plan to make the area safer. That project is now complete.
“The statistics look good. There have been no fatalities. We did put some interim improvements ahead of those while we were in the design phase, so that helped as well,” Sanders said.
The upgrades include new mid-block crosswalk signals, pedestrian-activated stoplights, fresh road markings, widened sidewalks, added signage, reduced turn radii to slow vehicle speeds, improved lighting, and fencing to guide foot traffic toward designated crossings.
“It’s actual performance in the field,” Sanders said. “And it also gives the families hope…the families that have had losses here as well…that those fatalities were not in vain, that they’re meaningful. And it means a lot to me, and I carry those families with me through the other projects as well.”
The project was recently recognized as Project of the Year at the 2025 Central Florida Safety Summit, earning praise for its innovative, data-driven approach to pedestrian safety.
“These are good projects, these are worthwhile projects, and these are projects that we need to continue in the future,” Sanders said.
Phase Two of the project is planned, which would extend these safety improvements farther through the area.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
