The Most Dangerous Road In The City of Leesburg
 

Discover why Route 48 in Leesburg is considered the most dangerous road in the city—and how unchecked development is making it even worse. This video highlights the alarming congestion, safety concerns for cyclists and drivers, and the impact of recent city commission decisions approving new housing developments along this already overburdened road.

Through drone footage, personal experiences, and data-driven analysis, we expose the hazardous conditions and the urgent need for infrastructure improvements. With 750 new housing units adding 7,500 daily car trips, the future looks grim unless action is taken.

Learn how you can support smarter urban planning and join the fight against unsafe rezoning decisions. Attend the city commission meeting on March 24, 2025, and help save Leesburg's roads and its residents.

https://youtu.be/6--ZaYWm2JQ

Good luck .

Most dangerous roads? IMO that covers about 3/4 of Leesburg

I don’t find that section of road to be the most dangerous…for cars. I would not ride a bicycle on it. There is congestion, but it’s not the worst is leesburg.

I think the projects above RT 48 on the Leesburg priority list are much worse.

i also think the section of road between 33 and the turnpike is worse than the section between 33 and 27. It’s super dark at night it’s narrow and the speeds are high. Not sure if that is called 48 there or 470.

Some thoughts:

- "Most dangerous" might be overstating things and will cause some to stop listening at that point
- Is it standard practice to assume that every housing unit will have two occupants who each will have a car and make five trips per day? That's the only way to get 7,500 daily trips from 750 units. When we were working, my wife and I might have made ten trips per week, less than 15% of your number.
- The work on the road is mentioned as not happening until 2030 but the developments are presented as if they are in place today. Is it not possible that approvals, permitting, and construction of the developments might take a few years such that their completion coincides with the road widening?

Someone mentioned the section of 48 between 33 and the TPike as being worse, but that is 470 and that section has a shoulder although it is dark. A shoulder adds a significant level of safety.

The factor that is used to predict trips by planners varies between 3 and 20 per household. Three for age-restricted communities and 20 for active communities as these most likely will be so I was conservative using 10 which is the accepted average.

The developers have a time limit to get these going - four years is in the sunset clause. They have to do more than just clear the land, etc. If they don't, the zoning reverts back to the original classification so it is likely (although I hope not) that things will start happening soon.

Thank you for your response.

It is 470 at that point but it has a shoulder which adds a significant level of safety. The section of Rt. 48, from the Sumter Co/Lake Co. line down to Center Hill, is #2 on the list for improvement because it has NO SHOULDER; it's on the safety list on the MPO website which is a different list than the expansion projects. There is far less traffic on that stretch of road but it is being improved because just like the section in Leesburg, it has no shoulder.

Thank you for the reply.

The worst part of 470 between the TP and 33 are the people that do 35 mph in an 55 zone and destroy traffic rhythm on that stretch of road.

This is about biker and pedestrians safety but I’m not sure why anyone would be biking or walking this road at all.

It is not about bike/pedestrian safety but this is a way to show how dangerous it is. Shoulders provide a safety buffer for automobiles as well (see below). The main concern with this stretch of road is the high level of traffic already. That video on the bike and in the air was shot 14 months ago, and it has gotten much more crowded and much less safe.

The second highest priority safety project is to put a shoulder on Rt. 48 between the Sumter/Lake line and Rt. 469. That road does not have much bicycle traffic because there are alternatives, but Sumter County wants the shoulder put in for automobile safety.