businesses, and the transportation system will need to accommodate future demand and the anticipated regional growth.

An analysis of safety conditions from 2019 to 2023 demonstrated the need for safety improvements on the US 27 corridor. Multiple segments in the northern and southern limits of the study area exceed the statewide crash rate, and the US 27 corridor consistently experiences one of the highest serious injury and fatal crashes per lane mile, districtwide. Overall, total crashes in the US 27 study corridor have decreased, but fatal crashes have increased over the five-year period. Almost 20% of crashes in the study corridor were fatal crashes, with the highest number occurring at US 27 and Main Street in Avon Park. Crash density was the heaviest around Sebring, with the US 27 and Sebring Parkway intersection having the highest number of crashes (80). Intersection crashes occurred mostly in the northern portion of the study area, where intersections are more heavily concentrated. There were thirty-six pedestrian crashes, seven of which were fatal, and ten bicycle crashes. Pedestrian crashes were spread throughout the study area limits, with the most fatal pedestrian crashes occurring around Avon Park, and bicycle crashes mostly occurring in the Avon Park and Sebring communities.

US 27 in Highlands County is on FDOT's SIS and is a part of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Highway Freight Network (Critical Urban Corridor). US 27 is the main truck route in the central portion of the state, operating as the main trade and distribution network, and the lifeline of the agriculture industry for the Heartland region. Freight growth, along with the changing context of US 27 in urbanized areas, necessitates a review of alternative north-south corridors to reduce freight impacts on the corridor and the surrounding community. The northern and southern portions of the study corridor feature high truck percentages, 20%-40%, with truck daily volume around 4,500 and while the urbanized areas experience truck daily volume around 3,500. Additionally, truck parking facilities in and around the study area operate beyond capacity further illustrating the prevalence of freight activity in the corridor. As surrounding counties continue to experience trade and logistics growth, freight will increasingly utilize central Florida's transportation corridors.

As documented in the Statewide Regional Evacuation Study by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, US 27 serves as a primary north-south hurricane evacuation route