As our community and the larger area in Davenport continue to grow, we have begun to see a dangerous traffic situation during both morning and afternoon rush hours. The traffic exiting and entering the community is extremely heavy and oftentimes unsafe. In the morning as residents try to get to school or work, and as contractors try to come into work on the many homes being built, many of our residents experience stress, fear, and anxiety as they witness (and sometimes experience) unsafe traffic conditions.

A traffic light at Providence Boulevard and US 17-92 would solve the traffic situation and potentially save lives.

If this situation continues, lives will be lost!

Community members have reached out to both the city and county and we are told that US 17-92, is under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation. However, as a Planned Development, the community's developer ABD Development is responsible for the design and costs associated with a traffic signal.

Therefore, we the residents of Providence are hereby petitioning our officials at the city, county and state level to take action immediately and assist with applying pressure to the community's developer of record, before lives are lost. Providence Boulevard at US 17-92 needs a traffic signal.

• We ask city and county leaders to use their influence and assist in working with the Florida DOT to perform whatever studies are necessary to better control traffic flow at our community’s main entrance. [Update, Study was completed March 2019].
• We ask Florida DOT to provide a clear plan of action and a timeline towards improving traffic flow in and out of our community. [Update, Done. The March 2019 study made a specific recommendation for a traffic signal, which is now the responsibility of ABD, the community developer of record.]
• NEW - We ask that ABD Development Company expedite the process to design and installation of the traffic signal that has already been approved at our community entrance!

Sign this petition today and share it with your neighbors and loved ones. We can take action before lives are lost.

Community Background

Providence is a gated community in Davenport Florida which will eventually have 4,000 homes. Presently, there are around 1,400 homes already occupied by residents. Providence and the nearby communities are an important part of the Davenport and Polk County tax base and add to the overall economic activity of our town and county.

The main Providence entrance is Providence Boulevard, located on US 17-92 south of Ronald Reagan Parkway / Kinney Harmon Road. Southwest of the community is Loughman Oaks Elementary and Ernie Caldwell Boulevard, both of which add to the traffic congestion. Finally, with over 50% of the homes still to be built, construction traffic coming into the community every morning between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM is extremely heavy.  This same situation occurs again in the afternoon.