A safety report found a large number of accidents and fatalities right outside of the University of Central Florida.

  • Study finds 200 crashes over 8 years, 11 deaths on Alafaya Trail at UCF
  • Pedestrian and bicycle crashes are four times the statewide average
  • Recommended safety improvements could cost $10 million

On any given day, more than 60,000 students are walking or biking around UCF, while thousands of cars drive in excess of 45 miles per hour on Alafaya Trail.

The Orange County UCF Alafaya Trail Pedestrian Safety Study found that there were more than 200 crashes over eight years and a total of 11 deaths.

The report found that pedestrian and bicycle crashes on Alafaya Trail are four times the statewide average.

 The numbers brought Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs to tears. 

“Being number one when it comes to pedestrian deaths is certainly something that we have to come together as a community and address," Jacobs said. 

All of the crashes happened in a 5-mile area of Alafaya Trail from McCulloch Road to Challenger Parkway, and part of University Boulevard.

 “Most of the crashes are happening in the daytime when it’s light, when the weather conditions are good," said Brian Sanders, the chief transportation planner. 

In an effort to save lives, the study recommends:

  • Building larger medians with some midblock crosswalks
  • Making wider sidewalks with better lighting
  • Expanding the bike lanes for better visibility

Changes may also come to the main entrance of the UCF campus, the nation’s second largest.

But in order to get these plans off the ground and onto the road, it will require around $10 million in funding.

“We’ve got to go the extra mile to ensure these kids end up on the safest path they can," Jacobs said. 

The county will vote on whether to approve half of the funding at a later date. 

The rest of that money will need to come from UCF and the Department of Transportation.

A public meeting will be held next Wednesday on May 18 at 6 p.m. at Union Park Middle School. The public will be able to provide feedback on the study’s findings and recommendations.