ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Tangelo Park, a small neighborhood of about 2,100 residents covering 225 acres, sits adjacent to the new Epic Universe theme park.

Before the park opened, residents expressed concerns to News 6 about worsening traffic, though officials assured that construction projects would ease congestion.

Now more than a month after Epic Universe’s opening, Orange County Commissioner Michael Scott, a lifelong Tangelo Park resident, said the county has implemented several safety and traffic management measures.

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“Well, I’m a resident of Tangelo Park. I was born and raised there. I don’t think the residents were pushed out. And obviously when you have new building, there’s always going to be concerns with traffic. I think that, you know, we put in a number of safety measures and also traffic calming, traffic management measures,” Scott said.

Scott added that the county has coordinated with mapping and rideshare companies to direct traffic flow through the neighborhood.

“I do see a change. I think that a lot of folks that are cutting through the neighborhood are people who are from here because, you know, we’ve talked with the different, you know, mapping providers, rideshare providers about, you know, where to drive,” he said.

At the entrance to Tangelo Park, residents come and go for work and school, just steps from the Epic Universe entrance. Scott said construction on Kirkman and Sand Lake roads, two main arteries causing traffic issues, has been completed, but drivers must adapt to new traffic patterns and signage.

Longtime resident Kristina, who has lived in Tangelo Park for 35 years, said traffic remains a problem.

“It’s still bad and, at times, downright annoying,” she said. “It makes me think twice about leaving the house each day, especially because of my age.”

Another resident noted some improvement due to the new roads but said they occasionally help lost tourists with directions.

Scott acknowledged that new traffic patterns and ongoing adjustments on Kirkman and Sand Lake roads contribute to lingering congestion.

“You see, maybe traffic cones and like Kirkman, mainly Kirkman. Because people are getting a whole new traffic pattern. So I think that’s where a lot of the, you know, driving behaviors like converting the left or the right door. And so I think that pattern is causing just a little bit of congestion, people trying to figure out where they need to go,” Scott said.

Beyond traffic, some residents worry about buyouts and redevelopment. Scott said Tangelo Park is here to stay.

News 6 asked Commissioner Scott what he wants Tangelo Park to be in the coming years.

“I want it to be a place that folks want to live. You know, that there are no vacancies. That, you know, you continue to have folks who have the opportunity to own a home. But also continue to maintain the uniqueness and historic needs of the Tangelo Park community,” Scott said.

ORIGINAL MATT AUSTIN STORY TO ADD Tangelo Park battles traffic, buyouts as Epic Universe expands nearby