KISSIMMEE, Fla. — It’s one of the busiest intersections in Kissimmee and now construction is underway to reduce crashes.

The city of Kissimmee is making changes to John Young Parkway and Oak Street.

Accident reports from the Kissimmee Police Department show more than 180 crashes at this intersection since 2020.

That’s why the city of Kissimmee just started the more than $3 million intersection improvement project.

The work will widen Oak Street for continuous through lanes, while maintaining turn lanes at John Young Parkway.

A right-turn-only lane will be converted into a through lane to help traffic flow better, among other plans.

Other improvements include milling, resurfacing and new pavement, sidewalk upgrades, improved traffic signals and lighting and new landscaping.

Primarily funded through the Local Agency Program, the city of Kissimmee is contributing less than 5% of the total cost.

Construction will happen weekdays between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The project is expected to be completed in the spring of next year.

Local flower shop owner reacts to construction

“That was a cow pasture across the street,” remembers Danny Sexton, owner of Kissimmee Florist.

His family moved the flower shop to the corner of John Young Parkway and Oak Street 43 years ago.

Things have changed since then.

“When it's really busy, it will back up well beyond down to the post office down there and it'll back up almost to the hospital in that direction, which is a good quarter of a mile,” Sexton said.

On top of that, Sexton says crashes occur when driving through John Young Parkway on Oak Street.

“The lanes don't match up as you cross the road. The go-ahead lane is the turn lane over there and vice versa,” he explained.