A $3.5 million plan to add turn lanes and close medians at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O' Lakes drew dozens of residents to a public meeting Monday, Oct. 5.

The Florida Department of Transportation presented the project at Land O' Lakes Heritage Park, as first reported by Tampa Bay 28.

The project is intended to improve safety and ease congestion at the busy intersection. FDOT plans to widen portions of the roadway to add another left-turn lane on the north, east and south approaches and close some medians.

FDOT plans additional turn lanes

The improvements stretch 0.63 miles, including U.S. 41 from Leonard Road to Carson Drive and State Road 54 east from U.S. 41 to Raden Drive. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2027.

"All of this is being done in the name of safety and to help with a little bit of the congestion out there," FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson said. "We know it's not a cure-all, but it should make some pretty big improvements."

Not everyone left reassured.

Land O' Lakes resident Sara Hymel said she worries the median closures could push traffic into surrounding areas. She described the intersection as one drivers avoid when they can because of long lines of vehicles waiting to turn.

"I'm skeptical that adding a turning lane and cutting off local traffic to accesses that we're used to will create congestion in other areas," Hymel told Tampa Bay 28.

Larger interchange remains years away

Carson acknowledged the project is not intended to solve every traffic problem in the fast-growing area.

FDOT is separately studying a much larger, long-term overhaul of the intersection. The agency's preferred alternative is a diverging diamond interchange that would elevate U.S. 41 over State Road 54 and State Road 597, or Dale Mabry Highway.

The agency held a virtual public update on that study from Jan. 28 through Feb. 18. The study is intended to address future roadway capacity and improve safety in the area.

The design would be similar in concept to the diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, Tampa Bay 28 reported.

The larger U.S. 41 project remains years away, and FDOT has not announced a construction start date.

$3.5 million project remains in design

The smaller $3.5 million intersection project is currently in its design phase, according to an FDOT project fact sheet. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2027.

Residents with questions can contact FDOT project design manager Eyra Cash at 813-975-6164 or spokesperson Kris Carson at 813-975-6060.