Darren Glaude, Seminole County Watch columnist

The law of unintended consequences is often invoked in response to policy or law created by government. 

It basically speaks to the problems that are inadvertently created when trying to fix another problem.  Or the unanticipated negative consequences of an action that is positive in intent and desire.

Sometimes the unintended consequence is a completely surprising development.  Other times, however, it simply leaves one shaking their head while wondering how the unintended consequence could not be foreseen.

Rather than a true unintended consequence, it is more the result of stupidity.  Everyone except those involved in making the decision that precipitates the unintended consequences are left shaking their heads, asking "What could they have been thinking?"

Each day as I drive on State Road 434 east of Highway 17-92, heading towards Oviedo, I shake my head and wonder what was going through the minds of Winter Springs officials.

The city is spending four million dollars to refurbish the appearance of State Road 434 between Moss Road and Sheoah Boulevard. 

If you have driven that stretch lately, you have seen what is being done:  largely it is a facelift that involves beautification of the area through the planting of trees and shrubbery.  Gazebos and benches will also be added along the area, as well as a faux brick appearance that will be applied to intersections.

So far, so good.  The city facilitated the design of the improvements, funded largely through monies available from the state.  In addition to the appearance, "safety" concerns were also part of the grand design, and that is where the wheels start to fall off.

Winter Springs officials think that the beautification project will help to integrate the city's western end with its eastern half.  To the east lie Tuscawilla and the downtown Town Center development, and all that is largely pointed to with pride as being emblematic of Winter Springs.

The western portion is the older part of Winter Springs, and it presents a challenge.  The question is how to resurrect commerce in that portion of town, enabling the tenants of the various small strip centers and stand-alone businesses to succeed.

Right now, the portion of Winter Springs on the western end of 434, where the refurbishing is occurring, is seen as an area that people try to get through as quickly as possible.  It is a thoroughfare, or a throughway, rather than a destination.

The logistics of the area create a dynamic wherein you do not want to have to stop when traveling that portion of State Road 434. 

As with some major interesections elsewhere around Seminole County, the thought in most drivers' heads is to avoid the area whenever possible, and, when not possible, to get through and past it as quickly as possible.

It is simply a matter of convenience, or, conversely, the inconvenience of navigating the area.  Businesses are not as successful in that stretch of highway simply because it is not convenient to do business there, mainly because of having to deal with the awkward logistics of State Road 434.

As part of the refurbishment, safety concerns have led to the placing of concrete medians along most of the roadway.  Although it will make the stretch of road more pleasing to the eye, it also will make it even more inconvenient to navigate within that area and do business with the merchants located there.

The most obvious consequence is the elimination of left turns at any point along the road.  Now, the medians will have to be circumvented at the next light or planned pass through, making it even more difficult to access certain businesses within that stretch of the highway.

The result is to further reinforce the thought in drivers's minds that this is a stretch of road to get beyond without stopping.  The new medians give it a streamlined corridor effect that makes it more of a major highway and less of a local access road.

City officials obviously felt they were doing the right thing in planning the improvements that are being made to the area, which they have dubbed the "Village Walk."

With good intention, they are trying to continue the promoting of a community feeling within the city, which they feel is largely enhanced by applying warm and fuzzy monikers to all that they do.

The end result, however, will be the exact opposite of their apparent intention, which is to enhance the area as a means by which commerce can be improved and local merchants encouraged.

Their planning, however well intentioned it may have been, obviously contains an equally-unintentional "unintended consequence" that is completely opposite of their goal.  Some may excuse it as something that could not have been foreseen, but to anyone traveling the area, it seems rather obvious.

City officials will explain and defend their actions as being in the best interests overall for the city.  Good intentions, however, will not mitigte the harmful effect their actions will have on the businesses trying to succeed within the area. 

Defenders will explain it away as an unintended consequence.  Others see it as simple stupidity, making it clear that we hold a different view.

Email Darren at darrenglaude@seminolecountywatch.com