The purpose of this Highlands County Feasibility Study is to evaluate the US 27 corridor from CR 17 to SR 17 in Highlands County in terms of regional safety, mobility, and accessibility needs to support the communities' quality of life, regional and local economies, and to minimizing impacts to the environment. The observations of the assessment include:
Safety: Crashes are concentrated near Sebring and Avon Park, with multiple segments of the corridor exceeding the statewide crash rate. Between the years 2019 and 2023, there was a total of 2,782 crashes with an estimated economic loss of $903 million. A total of 22 of those involved a pedestrian, and 21 involved a bicyclist. Five-year crash data shows that nearly 50% of pedestrian crashes resulted in fatality along US 27. The lack of continuous bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure along the corridor could be a contributing factor to the increase in the bicycle crashes over the years.
Freight: US 27 is an FDOT priority freight investment corridor primarily serving the agriculture industry. Segments of the corridor experience high truck percentages (over 40%) and truck parking facilities operate beyond capacity. The northern and southern portions of the study corridor feature high truck percentages between 20%-43%. Daily truck volumes at US 27 and SR 66 are approximately around 4,200. The urbanized areas of the county experience daily truck volume between 2,800 and 3,400.
Evacuation/Vulnerability: US 27 is a primary north-south evacuation route and recently served as an alternative to I-75 and I-95 due to interstate closures following Hurricane Ian. During the widespread evacuations during Hurricane Irma (2017), travel times were four times longer than normal on portions of US 27. Alternative north-south routes in the vicinity are limited and if US 27 is obstructed, the next best available route adds an estimated hour to the travel time. This lack of options for detours makes US 27 and the entire Southwest Florida transportation network vulnerable to emergency events.
Transportation Demand: The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) for the corridor ranges from 9,400 to 44,000 vehicles per day. The highest AADTs are around the Lakeview Dr/Sebring area.
Land Use: The study region includes rural and urbanized areas with land uses primarily being classified as for agricultural uses or as wetlands. Twelve percent of the County's land use is considered urbanized, with half of those lands classified as for residential use.
Roadway Characteristics: Posted speed limits along US 27 range from 45 miles per hour (mph) to 65 mph. Dedicated through lanes range from four- to six-lanes and the context classification varies. Existing right-of-way width ranges from 100-feet to 300-feet.
Structures: Eight bridges exist along US 27 ranging between 20 to 79 years old (average age 48). The oldest bridges, Bridge No. 090003 over Josephine Creek and Bridge No. 050047 over County Line Creek, may require replacement as indicated by the low Health Index and Inventory Rating.
Natural Environment: The study region potentially contains 25 federally listed species, state-listed protected species, and managed (non-listed) species. Approximately 20% of the area surrounding US 27 is comprised of wetlands.
Physical Environment: Several land use areas are potentially susceptible to traffic noise impacts. Noise sensitive receptors may include residential areas, businesses, and recreational areas. Air
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