Driving around Orlando, FL, may be a little less time consuming in the future, and a little more environmentally friendly.

Gov. Jeb Bush has signed legislation that would allow the completion of a beltway around the city while protecting sensitive land around the Wekiva River basin.

“This legislation represents unprecedented collaboration among diverse interests to safeguard the springs of the Wekiva and make Central Florida a better place to live and work,” Bush said in a written statement. “The parkway strikes a delicate balance between environmental protection and economic growth, providing relief for motorists and protection for Florida’s land and waters.”

The Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act, previously SB1214, was a compromise between environmental groups and developers following two years of intense debate, political gamesmanship and studies by two commissions.

The legislation endorses a plan to connect State Road 429 in Apopka with Interstate 4 in Sanford, an important outlet for Orlando’s rapidly growing traffic congestion. At the same time, it calls for the state to protect regional waterways and preserve thousands of acres of wildlife habitat across Orange, Lake and Seminole counties.

In the coming months, four state agencies, two regional agencies and 15 local governments will take steps to address the recommendations outlined in the legislation.