Seminole County has asked the City of Winter Springs to redirect a portion of newly available gas tax revenue toward the Seminole Connector, a toll road extension formally designated as S.R. 452. A formal presentation from the county is scheduled for the May 11, 2026 commission meeting, and I want residents to have the full picture before that conversation takes place.
What Is the Seminole Connector?
The Seminole Connector is a proposed limited-access road that would create a new connection from S.R. 417 to Orlando Sanford International Airport, routing traffic on the far side of Lake Jessup. The project has been in development for more than two decades. Its total estimated cost is approximately $200 million. CFX has committed $150 million, and Seminole County contributed $25 million from its Penny Sales Tax earlier this year to fund the design phase. A funding gap of roughly $25 million remains, and the county is now turning to municipalities to help close it.
What Is Being Asked of Winter Springs?
Under the proposed arrangement, Winter Springs would enter into an interlocal agreement to dedicate its share of a five-cent Local Option Fuel Tax increase — recently approved by the County Commission — to the Seminole Connector project for up to 10 years. The city’s portion is estimated at approximately $260,000 per year, for a total contribution of roughly $2.9 million over the life of the agreement.
These funds carry a legal restriction: they must be used for transportation purposes. That means they cannot go toward parks, utilities, or general operations — but they can go toward road improvements, paving, and transportation infrastructure right here in Winter Springs.
Four of Seminole County’s seven cities are being asked to participate: Sanford, Oviedo, Lake Mary, and Winter Springs.
My Initial Perspective
I want to hear the full presentation before this commission takes any position. That is the responsible approach, and I remain open to the county’s case.
That said, my initial read is straightforward: Winter Springs has real transportation needs of its own. These are new funds the city has not yet budgeted, and there is no shortage of local projects that could put them to work. We are a community that is roughly 90 percent residential. The case for directing our residents’ gas tax dollars toward a toll road that primarily serves regional travel and development near Sanford Airport will need to be a strong one.
The Oviedo City Council, which received a similar request the same week, reached a consensus not to allocate funds to the project. Winter Springs should make its own decision based on what is best for our community.
What Comes Next
The county manager and a representative from CFX are expected to present to the Winter Springs City Commission on May 11, 2026 at 6:30 PM at Winter Springs City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434.
If you have thoughts on this issue, I encourage you to share them before that date. Resident input ahead of the formal presentation matters. You can reach Victoria directly at (407) 327-7585 or friends@victoriaforwintersprings.com, or plan to attend the meeting and speak during public input.
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