For people walking across the intersection of Apopka Boulevard and Sheeler Avenue, something as simple as getting to the other side of the street can feel like taking a chance with their lives.
Orange County Public Works confirms the intersection improvements are a county project, with certain responsibilities shared with the City of Apopka. According to the county’s Traffic Engineering Division, contractors completed the concrete curb ramps and pedestrian refuge improvements on July 2, 2026, after receiving a Notice to Proceed on June 16. The total cost of that concrete work was $36,385.
However, the pedestrian traffic signals remain unfinished, and Orange County says conflicts with power lines running through the intersection are responsible for the delays.
“The delays have been due to conflicts with the power lines running through the intersection, which have affected the installation of the new traffic signals,” Orange County Public Works told News 6.
The county also clarified that while the City of Apopka maintains the existing traffic signal, Orange County is responsible for upgrading it to include pedestrian signals. That work requires coordination between the two governments and the power company.
“Our signal group is coordinating with the City of Apopka and the power company to obtain an update on the coordination process and determine the next steps toward completing the signal installation,” the county said.
Orange County has not provided a completion date for the remaining signal improvements or a separate timeline for when painted crosswalk markings will be installed.
The county’s $36,385 figure covers the completed concrete work, not necessarily the total cost of the entire intersection project, including the outstanding traffic signal upgrades.
Pedestrians describe daily safety concerns
“It’s a life of chance you gotta take. You, you gamble it to see if you go across it or not, or get hit,” said Ruby Johns, who regularly walks through the intersection.
Johns is among pedestrians raising concerns about the unfinished improvements, where two concrete pedestrian refuge islands have been installed, but the new crossing signals remain covered and painted crosswalk markings have yet to appear.
Those concerns prompted News 6 to investigate after a viewer reached out about the intersection’s condition, questioning both the unfinished pedestrian crossings and the size of the newly installed concrete islands.
For Johns, navigating the intersection has become an uncomfortable part of her routine.
She said drivers don’t always appear prepared to stop for pedestrians, leaving people to determine for themselves when it is safe to cross without the guidance of functioning pedestrian crossing signals.
Johns told News 6 that she and a friend have both experienced close calls with vehicles while trying to cross near the intersection.
“There’s not a crosswalk there, so you can’t stop the cars,” Johns said. “But it’s dangerous because they don’t wanna stop.”
She recalled seeing the crossing improvements sitting unfinished for roughly a month and a half to two months, although she couldn’t pinpoint exactly when crews last worked at the intersection.
The uncertainty has left her constantly watching traffic.
“Uh, constantly. You gotta constantly twist and turn your head and neck,” Johns said when asked how frequently she looks for approaching vehicles.
She’s not the only one concerned.
Nineteen-year-old Isaiah Celestine said he crosses the intersection nearly every weekday on his way to school.
Despite making the trip regularly, he said he doesn’t feel particularly comfortable navigating the crossing.
“Uh, not really safe, but I manage. But it, with other people, I don’t know,” Celestine said.
When asked to rate how safe he feels crossing the intersection on a scale of one to 10, Celestine gave it a 3.5.
He said he’s grown accustomed to navigating the crossing without the additional pedestrian safety features, but acknowledged that other people might have greater difficulty.
What are the pedestrian refuge islands designed to do?
The two concrete refuge islands are intended to help pedestrians cross the intersection in stages, providing a place to pause between portions of the roadway rather than crossing the entire intersection at once.
The improvements are designed to provide additional protection for pedestrians, particularly at intersections where moving traffic can make crossing challenging.
But while Orange County confirms the concrete construction was completed in July, the remaining pedestrian signal improvements have not been activated.
That distinction is important: The physical islands and curb ramps are finished, but the pedestrian crossing improvements are not yet fully operational.
Viewer also questions the design of the concrete islands
The unfinished pedestrian signals aren’t the only concerns raised about the intersection.
The viewer who contacted News 6 described problems with vehicles navigating around the concrete refuge islands, questioning whether the islands are too large for the available roadway.
According to the viewer, some drivers traveling south on Sheeler Avenue have driven onto nearby grass while attempting to avoid the concrete curbs.
The viewer also reported seeing tire marks along portions of the islands and raised concerns about school buses having difficulty making certain turns onto Apopka Boulevard.
Those reports have not been independently established as evidence of an engineering or construction defect.
Pedestrian refuge islands are intended to improve safety for people walking across roadways, but their placement must also accommodate appropriate vehicle movements through the intersection.
News 6 asked Orange County what steps it is taking to protect pedestrians and drivers while the improvements remain unfinished and whether officials have evaluated safety concerns involving the new islands.
The county’s response explained the construction timeline, the division of responsibilities and the reason for the signal delays. However, it did not specifically address whether engineers have inspected the reported turning difficulties or whether changes to the islands are being considered.
When will the intersection finally be finished?
More than three months have passed since the concrete improvements were completed July 2, but Orange County has not announced a date for installing and activating the new pedestrian traffic signals.
The county says its signal group is coordinating with the City of Apopka and the power company to determine the next steps.
What remains unclear is how much longer that process will take and whether additional safety measures will be implemented while the intersection remains unfinished.
For people like Johns and Celestine, the concern is less about which government agency handles the work and more about being able to cross the intersection safely.
Johns said she wants to see the pedestrian signals operating and proper crosswalk markings in place.
“There should be, the signals should be up and running like they should be,” she said.
Until the remaining improvements are completed, pedestrians are left navigating an intersection where the concrete infrastructure is in place, but the new crossing signals are not yet available to guide them.
News 6 will continue seeking answers from Orange County about when the remaining work will be completed and whether additional safety measures are planned at the intersection.
The county also clarified how responsibilities are divided between the two local governments.
According to Orange County, the City of Apopka maintains the existing traffic signal, while Orange County is responsible for upgrading it to include pedestrian signals.
That means the remaining work requires coordination between the county, the city and the power company.
“Our signal group is coordinating with the City of Apopka and the power company to obtain an update on the coordination process and determine the next steps toward completing the signal installation,” the county said.
The explanation provides the clearest account yet of why the pedestrian signal improvements have not been finished more than three months after the concrete construction was completed.
However, Orange County has not provided a specific completion date for the remaining signal improvements.
The county also did not provide a separate timeline for when the painted crosswalk markings will be installed.
Viewer also questions the design of the concrete islands
The unfinished pedestrian signals aren’t the only concerns raised about the intersection.
The viewer who contacted News 6 described problems with vehicles navigating around the concrete refuge islands, questioning whether the islands are too large for the available roadway.
According to the viewer, some drivers traveling south on Sheeler Avenue have driven onto nearby grass while attempting to avoid the concrete curbs.
The viewer also reported seeing tire marks along portions of the islands and raised concerns about school buses having difficulty making certain turns onto Apopka Boulevard.
Those reports have not been independently established as evidence of an engineering or construction defect.
Pedestrian refuge islands are intended to improve safety for people walking across roadways, but their placement must also accommodate appropriate vehicle movements through the intersection.
News 6 asked Orange County what steps it is taking to protect pedestrians and drivers during the unfinished construction and whether officials have evaluated safety concerns involving the new islands.
The county’s response explained the construction timeline and the reason for the signal delays, but did not specifically address whether engineers have inspected the reported turning difficulties or whether changes to the islands are being considered.
When will the intersection finally be finished?
For now, Orange County says it is continuing to coordinate with Apopka and the power company to resolve the issues affecting the new pedestrian signals.
The county has not announced a date for completing the signal installation or activating the new pedestrian crossing equipment.
That leaves residents waiting for the remaining work to be finished, even though the concrete improvements were completed July 2.
For people like Johns and Celestine, the concern is less about which government agency handles the work and more about being able to cross the intersection safely.
Johns said she wants to see the pedestrian signals operating and proper crosswalk markings in place.
“There should be, the signals should be up and running like they should be,” she said.
Until the remaining improvements are completed, pedestrians are left navigating an intersection where the concrete infrastructure is in place, but the new crossing signals are not yet available to guide them.
News 6 will continue seeking answers from Orange County about when the remaining work will be completed and whether additional safety measures are planned at the intersection.