ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – On Thursday morning, Orange County deputies stopped 55 drivers for exceeding speeds of 80 mph, with two particularly audacious motorists caught traveling at 100 mph on State Road 408. This enforcement comes as a massive influx of visitors is anticipated in Orlando for the Florida Classic weekend.
For the residents of Parramore, this bustling event means yet another round of road closures, traffic jams, and bustling streets. It marks the third consecutive weekend they’ve had to contend with these disruptions. As locals brace for the weekend’s festivities, they are once again faced with the challenge of navigating their neighborhood amidst the chaos.
Jarell Baker, a community correspondent in Parramore, spoke with residents near Camping World Stadium to gauge how they plan to manage the expected traffic turmoil. “Here outside Camping World Stadium, where the Florida Classic is set for this weekend, you can already see the preparations,” Baker reported. “Barricades line Tampa Avenue, and the road is closed, representing just one of many streets that will be blocked off.”
Joe Ann Walker, who lives adjacent to the stadium, finds herself both a participant and a spectator in this yearly tradition. As the mother of a FAMU Rattler and a BCU Wildcat, she cherishes the vibrancy and excitement Florida Classic weekend brings. However, she is less enthusiastic about the road closures and detours that accompany it. “If I decide I want to go somewhere, I must leave before the game starts, or else getting back home becomes a problem because the roads are blocked,” she shared.
Joe Ann Walker — who lives right next to Camping World Stadium — is the mother of a FAMU Rattler and a BCU Wildcat and enjoys the fun and atmosphere of Florida Classic weekend. But she doesn’t enjoy all the road closures and detours.
“If I decide I want to go somewhere, if I don’t go before they start the game, then getting back in is a problem. They block the road off,” she said.
And since she lives right next to the stadium, she’s been dealing with closures for three weekends straight.
“I had to go all the way over to Orange Blossom Trail, the Old Winter Garden Road. Then, when I got to Old Winter Garden Road — no, I can’t come in,” Walker said.
Callahan resident and FAMU grad Harry Bryant says he’s tried walking, driving, and other ways to get to the Classic over the years.
“Some of the problem is that we get down there, and then at the end of the game, the entire hundred thousand folks would like to leave the game at the same time,” he said. “Of course, we’ve got Uber, we’ve got DTO. For me personally, I took the shuttle over by the FAMU campus downtown. It runs constantly every 15 – 20 minutes, and it stays open one hour after the game.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has set up a special event zone, meaning fines are doubled and cars can be impounded.
In an email, sheriff’s officials said, “In the past, before we did these, we would see impromptu car shows and gatherings popping up along Colonial Drive. People would park their vehicles in the medians on the road, and that is not safe for anyone.”
They added, “Sometimes we need to have a visual to understand we need to slow down.”
Deputies say they pulled over 55 drivers going over 80 mph Thursday morning — including two clocked at 100 mph on SR 408 — and it’s one of the reasons why they’re beefing up their presence along several roadways this weekend.
The special event zone is set to run through Monday at 8 a.m. City leaders say it’s best to check out all of your road closures and information about the special event before you head out.
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