HOMOSASSA, Fla. — New sidewalks are coming to one of the busiest roads in Homosassa.
- 2.8-mile long sidewalk will run along Yulee Drive
- Business owners eager to see project completed
- Work will cost about $828,000
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Commissioners approved the Yulee Drive sidewalk project in November, and construction is scheduled to start after the holidays.
The new 2.8-mile long sidewalk will run right along Yulee Drive starting at the intersection with West Central Street and going all the way to U.S. Highway 19.
It's something people who live and work in the area say is long overdue.
"A lot of new restaurants came in, a lot of new businesses," Neil Dunbar said.
Dunbar's family has lived in the area since the 1940s.
He said with the popularity of scalloping and swimming with the manatees, more and more people have come to the area.
"There's a lot of people here. There's a lot of people that come down here just for weekends alone," he explained.
Yulee Drive is one of the main ways to get to the Homosassa River, but with no sidewalks it can be dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.
That's why Dunbar said the sidewalks are needed.
"I have a couple of Air BnBs in the neighborhood. They're always full and the people always tell me, 'Boy it would be nice to be walking, not on the street," Dunbar explained.
Other business owners along Yulee Drive are eager to see the sidewalks come in. They're hopeful it will bring more business.
"They can walk from the RV Park or the wildlife park, that's just two minutes down the road by car and they can come visit us for their manatee swims," said Capt. Gene Parker with the company "Snorkel with the Manatees."
"This is a beautiful area to come visit, and why not enjoy it at a slow pace," Parker added.
The project costs $828,000. Of that, $625,000 will be paid by the DOT Local Agency Program through a federal grant.