Preliminary plans to widen State Road 60 from County Road 630 to the other side of the Kissimmee River will be the topic of a public open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 31 in the main hall at Westgate River Ranch Resort, 3200 River Ranch Blvd., which is off SR 60 East near the Kissimmee River.
The open houses typically involve exhibits on the project set up around the room with technical staff from the Florida Department of Transportation or its consultants available to answer questions.
This portion of the highway is still relatively undeveloped, containing ranches, rural homesteads, conservation lands and the resort.
According to advance information provided by FDOT officials part of the current environmental planning involves getting input on road alignments. Alternatives include expanding the road either to the north or south of the existing pavement. This will also include obtaining land to construct stormwater ponds to comply with environmental regulations.
The area around the Kissimmee River and nearby Lake Kissimmee are home to a number of important wildlife species include Crested Caracara, Snail Kite and Bald Eagle. It is also home to Coleman Landing, a county park that provides access to Lake Kissimmee and camping.