One plan calls for a roundabout and a traffic light. Two others call for a new road cutting through the wilderness to connect two portions of Swindell Road.

Galloway Road is getting facelift at its awkward and increasingly problematic junction with Swindell Road. In the current alignment, Swindell Road meets Galloway in two different spots. On the west side, it joins Galloway barely 500 feet north of Interstate 4. But it doesn’t continue straight. Instead, its eastern leg is about 1,000 feet north of that.

Neither intersection has a traffic light, which likely didn’t seem necessary decades ago. But not so these days. Galloway Road, which becomes Airport Road south of U.S. 92, has gotten busier over the years as development takes hold to the north and south. And the western leg of Swindell’s proximity to an interstate overpass can make it difficult to see cars coming from the south.

To that end, the Polk County Roads and Drainage Division has some ideas. It’ll present those ideas to the public at a meeting Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Winston Academy of Engineering auditorium at 3415 Swindell Road in Lakeland.

A previous meeting meeting scheduled in early January was postponed because of a severe weather system moving across Florida.

After introductory remarks and a brief project overview Tuesday, participants can view exhibits and ask questions of county staff and consulting engineers.

The county’s preferred solution is to build a roundabout at the southern intersection of Swindell and Galloway roads. Then a traffic light would be installed at the northern intersection.

Two other proposals are very similar.

In one, the northern leg of Swindell is extended west through Galloway Road, wrapping south through wooded areas to meet the southern leg of Swindell at Lazy Oaks Lane. The southern Swindell-Galloway intersection would then be closed and a cul-de-sac installed at that end of Swindell. A traffic light would be installed at the northern intersection.

The last proposal is much the same, except the North Frontage Road junction with Galloway would also be closed. Lazy Oaks Lane, which is now a cul-de-sac, would be extended to meet North Frontage Road.

Public feedback is strongly encouraged, and comment forms will be provided. A two-week comment period ends March 12. For more information or to submit comments, contact Bill Skelton at the Polk County Roads and Drainage Division at 863-535-2230.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Galloway, Swindell junctions getting makeover. Polk wants your input