LAKELAND, Fla. — Officials are taking a closer look at one of Lakeland’s most dangerous roads.

What You Need To Know

  • The intersection of Sleepy Hill Road and Kennedy Boulevard is known for many car accidents, prompting officials to reevaluate its design

  • Civil Engineering Manager Ryan Lazenby highlights several issues with the road's design, including a sharp curve

  • Lakeland is allocating $75,000 to redesign the curve and is seeking $1 million in grants to help fund construction costs 

The intersection of Sleepy Hill Road and Kennedy Boulevard is a known area for car wrecks. When Steven Boutwell isn’t at work, he keeps his ear to the streets nearby.

“I was just sitting there playing video games, and I just heard ‘errrrr,’ like loud screeches. ‘KAPOW!’ And it was a big, black — I think it was a Ford,” he said.

That was Boutwell's description of one of the two car crashes he has witnessed since moving to Sunset Lakes Apartment Complex six months ago. He said it is clear that both wrecks were the result of more than just reckless driving.

“It definitely has to do with that sharp side right there, especially with those two loopy loops, those turns back to back like that," Boutwell said. "I don’t know, it’s kind of sketchy. If you’re going at least the speed limit, it still feels like you’re leaning in your car.”

At Lakeland City Hall, Civil Engineering Manager Ryan Lazenby said it is not very often that collisions are caused by a design flaw. However, after taking a closer look at the intersection recently, he said traffic engineers realized it needs to be completely redesigned.

“We’ve seen some concerns with the minimal radius out there; it’s about 375 feet. That doesn’t comply with Florida Greenbook requirements. The super elevation is about 2.5%, and given the radius, it doesn’t comply with Florida Greenbook requirements,” he said. “Also, there’s kind of a weird reverse curve effect, so it gets drivers going in one direction before it turns in the other direction. All those things compounded together are leading to some crashes off the road.”

Twenty-five car accidents were reported on the roadway within the past five years, including one fatal accident in 2021, Lazenby said.

So far, his team has removed two trees from the median to reduce the number of wrecks.

The city has allocated $75,000 from its current fiscal budget to redesign the curve on Sleepy Hill Road and will seek $1 million in grants to help with construction costs, Lazenby said. 

In the meantime, Boutwell advises everyone to drive with caution.

“You got to pay attention. Just pay attention, honestly,” he said. “It’s a very sharp turn. So it’s just kind of one of those things where anything can happen if you’re not looking out for yourself and around.”

Lazenby said it will take at least a year to finish the new design of the intersection.