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You may have heard about Orange County’s plan to extend Kirkman Road from Carrier Drive to Universal Boulevard. Unfortunately, forces from outside our community are using this to serve their own agenda, so you may not be getting the facts.
Here Are The Facts
The Kirkman Road Extension has been in Orange County’s plans for 20 years
The project had been on hold until Universal stepped in as a financial partner.
The county already has a fund for these improvements
Orange County’s portion comes primarily from the International Drive Community Redevelopment Area fund that is dedicated to transportation improvements.
Orange County’s part is capped at $125 million
The County allocated enough money for a basic road. With Universal’s additional funding (currently at $160 million), there will be a bigger road with more capacity, pedestrian bridges, bike paths, interchanges to control traffic, and significant urban beautification. No matter what, Orange County will contribute $125 million at most—and potentially less.
With all these rumors swirling around, what is really getting lost are the good things this development will bring to the community.
Here are a few highlights of what Universal’s Epic Universe means…
- 14,000 new jobs with an entry-level wage of at least $15 an hour.
- Professional, technical, culinary, and other specialized positions with higher wages.
- A near-doubling of Universal’s annual state and local tax contributions — from $302 million to $600+ million. This money helps pay for everything from roads to education to fire and police services.
- Construction of Epic Universe alone will bring an estimated $11.5 billion in combined direct and indirect economic benefit to the community. This is money that goes to local suppliers, vendors, residents, and the community.
Thank you for your time and willingness to consider what we have to say. You might hear something different in your neighborhood or in the news, but now you know the facts. We are so excited for what this new project means to the area—we hope you are, too.