Florida

[NJRoadfan]

Took a detour down FL-46 to see the Wekiva River Parkway extension construction progress. Looks like final paving is in progress on many portions. The north end of FL-429 is pretty dead at the moment, but that likely won't last once the connection to I-4 is made! I also found out why its called Mt. Dora, there are some changes in elevation in the area. 

[Stephane Dumas]

Google Streetview now show the elevated lanes of the Selmon Expwy extension.
https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8934317,-82.5311963,3a,75y,41.12h,85.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_6w_xFp1ZA90GWnitOdBXw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Great Lakes Roads]

Good news! The express lanes on I-4 through Orlando will be opening to traffic on Saturday, February 26th.

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/21/fdot--i-4-express-lanes-to-open-to-motorists-on-saturday

[Mileage Mike]

Good news! The express lanes on I-4 through Orlando will be opening to traffic on Saturday, February 26th.

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/21/fdot--i-4-express-lanes-to-open-to-motorists-on-saturday

Finally!

[Plutonic Panda]

I saw this project pop up in an article I was reading:

Florida: The huge Golden Glades interchange in Miami, where I-95, Florida's Turnpike, the Palmetto Expressway and U.S. 441 all interconnect.

https://reason.org/transportation-news/surface-transportation-news-backlash-to-highway-guidance-new-federal-bridge-program-and-more/

Anyone have any information on this?

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UgyHxnevXA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2_Nur-rBG8

Here are the videos of the drive on the I-4 express lanes through town. Tolls are free for the first five days of its opening.

[Jim]

Sorry if this has been mentioned/discussed and I just didn't see it.  I drove up much of US 301 in Florida today, and noticed that the work to build what appears to be a third 2-lane carriageway (if that's the right term) a little south of Baldwin.  The new section off to the east of the existing route looks to be about ready to go with signs and pavement markings.  Anyone know what that's all about?  Why the third 2-lane roadway?  Will it replace one of the existing ones?  That was my thought but parts of both of those look to have just been repaved...

[asdfjkll]

Sorry if this has been mentioned/discussed and I just didn't see it.  I drove up much of US 301 in Florida today, and noticed that the work to build what appears to be a third 2-lane carriageway (if that's the right term) a little south of Baldwin.  The new section off to the east of the existing route looks to be about ready to go with signs and pavement markings.  Anyone know what that's all about?  Why the third 2-lane roadway?  Will it replace one of the existing ones?  That was my thought but parts of both of those look to have just been repaved...

The 3rd carriageway is a FDOT concrete pavement testing area (similar to the I-94 test pavement in Minnesota). They will use it and put live traffic on the test pavement to test out different concrete pavement designs and mixes to guide better FDOT concrete pavement design which will last longer and be more durable.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.chronicleonline.com/news/local/suncoast-parkway-extension-opens-monday/article_bce66a3b-84cd-5aff-923f-42969647bfc7.html

The Suncoast Parkway Extension Phase 1 will be open to traffic on Monday, February 28.

[Jaxrunner]

It's good that the Suncoast  parkway has been extended but it really needs to be extended to US 19 to make since. Years ago I used to take US 19 down from the panhandle and then catch the Suncoast Parkway south of the Crystal River on my way to Tampa. I imagine long distance travel would benefit by having the parkway link up with US 19. The Suncoast is a great road that is a straight shot down to I 275 and Tampa International.

[74/171FAN]

Thankfully it seems to me that the only new only Express Lanes interchange on I-4 is at Central Pkwy. 

[asdfjkll]

It's good that the Suncoast  parkway has been extended but it really needs to be extended to US 19 to make since. Years ago I used to take US 19 down from the panhandle and then catch the Suncoast Parkway south of the Crystal River on my way to Tampa. I imagine long distance travel would benefit by having the parkway link up with US 19. The Suncoast is a great road that is a straight shot down to I 275 and Tampa International.

The next two phases of the Suncoast extension (phase 2 and 3) will extend the parkway all the way to US-19/US-98 a mile or two north of the CR-488 traffic lights. Phase 2 (SR 44 to CR 486) design is underway with construction funded for FY 2023. As for phase 3, design gets underway this year with a public hearing later this year. They recently split up the 3rd phase into a Phase 3A/3B, phase 3A goes from CR 486 to CR 495, and phase 3B finishes the gap to US 19/98. After Phase 3B, not sure what FDOT will plan on doing after that, maybe some freeway standard bypasses around the larger towns on US19 so through traffic can avoid reduced speed zones and traffic lights in those towns.

[Jaxrunner]

I think freeway bypasses of the towns along US 19 similar to the US 301 Starke bypass would be beneficial to long distance travel. I don't think the road necessarily at this time needs to be a freeway all the way to I 10 east of Tallahassee. The rural four lane divided highway with bypasses around Chiefland and Perry would make it a nice clean drive and an alternative to I 75 for traffic heading to the panhandle and points west.

[The Ghostbuster]

It looks like the Suncoast Parkway's eventual north terminus will be at US 19/98 near the W. Dunnellon Rd. (CR 488) intersection. There have been rumors that Florida's DOT is planning to possibly construct a further toll road extension towards Jacksonville. Is this the case, and if so, how likely might such an extension be constructed?

[NJRoadfan]

US-19 really needs the traffic light elimination project extended north to at least the Pasco County line. The ROW is there for the SPUI/service road setup like further south, but its going to cost some money.

Signed: The guy who hit every red light between Tarpon Springs and the freeway going south. Now I know why jughandles were invented.

[Jim]

US-19 really needs the traffic light elimination project extended north to at least the Pasco County line. The ROW is there for the SPUI/service road setup like further south, but its going to cost some money.

Signed: The guy who hit every red light between Tarpon Springs and the freeway going south. Now I know why jughandles were invented.

Just about every other road I drove trying to get out of FL on Saturday while I-75 was too full wants in on this too.

Florida seems to be several thousand overpasses short of what they need given current traffic levels.

[D-Dey65]

US-19 really needs the traffic light elimination project extended north to at least the Pasco County line. The ROW is there for the SPUI/service road setup like further south, but its going to cost some money.

Signed: The guy who hit every red light between Tarpon Springs and the freeway going south. Now I know why jughandles were invented.

Just about every other road I drove trying to get out of FL on Saturday while I-75 was too full wants in on this too.

Florida seems to be several thousand overpasses short of what they need given current traffic levels.

If you ask me, US 19 should have interchanges everywhere south of SR 50/Hernando CR 550. Anywhere they can't be added, they should just add frontage roads, dead ends and closed medians.

[VTGoose]

It looks like the Suncoast Parkway's eventual north terminus will be at US 19/98 near the W. Dunnellon Rd. (CR 488) intersection. There have been rumors that Florida's DOT is planning to possibly construct a further toll road extension towards Jacksonville. Is this the case, and if so, how likely might such an extension be constructed?

How about a decent connection from I-75 around Ocala? That could move some traffic off I-75 that is headed to/from St. Petersburg and that side of the bay. I drove up the Parkway from Tampa two years ago, which was a nice traffic-free ride, but then got killed on time trying to get east from the at-the-time end over to I-75.

Bruce in Blacksburg

[1995hoo]

Regarding the I-4 express lanes, I'd like to pick the brains of those of you in Florida. Suppose you were coming north from the Miami area on the Turnpike and you wanted to go to the Lake Mary area (specifically the hotels just west of I-4 in advance of taking the Auto Train north the next day). Which route would you think is the better one and why: The Turnpike to the I-4 express lanes to their northern end, then continuing on I-4, or FL-417 around the east side of the Orlando area and then either go one exit south on I-4 or just make a left at the end of the highway? Assume the aggregate amount of tolls is a non-issue; clinches are likewise a non-issue.

For southbound travel in the direction of Fort Myers, I already decided to stick with my preferred routing of FL-46 west to FL-429 to I-4 because that routing joins I-4 west of Disney World. Heading north, for years I've avoided I-4 through the city, but the express lanes arguably might change the equation.

[Dirt Roads]

Regarding the I-4 express lanes, I'd like to pick the brains of those of you in Florida. Suppose you were coming north from the Miami area on the Turnpike and you wanted to go to the Lake Mary area (specifically the hotels just west of I-4 in advance of taking the Auto Train north the next day). Which route would you think is the better one and why: The Turnpike to the I-4 express lanes to their northern end, then continuing on I-4, or FL-417 around the east side of the Orlando area and then either go one exit south on I-4 or just make a left at the end of the highway? Assume the aggregate amount of tolls is a non-issue; clinches are likewise a non-issue.

I know that Florida's Turnpike is less aggravating (particular at/near rush hour), but the shortest route is I-95 to FL-46.  If you need the fastest route, take the [Bee Line] instead.  Sorry, I just can't get used to the term "Beachline", even though I driven it a bunch of times.  I've used the Bee Line to get to the Central Florida Greeneway, but there are a bunch of ways to shorten the tolls by heading straight up to Sanford.

[1995hoo]

Regarding the I-4 express lanes, I'd like to pick the brains of those of you in Florida. Suppose you were coming north from the Miami area on the Turnpike and you wanted to go to the Lake Mary area (specifically the hotels just west of I-4 in advance of taking the Auto Train north the next day). Which route would you think is the better one and why: The Turnpike to the I-4 express lanes to their northern end, then continuing on I-4, or FL-417 around the east side of the Orlando area and then either go one exit south on I-4 or just make a left at the end of the highway? Assume the aggregate amount of tolls is a non-issue; clinches are likewise a non-issue.

I know that Florida's Turnpike is less aggravating (particular at/near rush hour), but the shortest route is I-95 to FL-46.  If you need the fastest route, take the [Bee Line] instead.  Sorry, I just can't get used to the term "Beachline", even though I driven it a bunch of times.  I've used the Bee Line to get to the Central Florida Greeneway, but there are a bunch of ways to shorten the tolls by heading straight up to Sanford.

In this particular instance my thought was to avoid I-95 due to proximity to a three-day weekend, which I assume will lead to more traffic on there; that's also the reason for driving up to Sanford the day before the train trip due to the need to check in early in the afternoon (minimize the risk of getting stuck on the highway and missing check-in, essentially). Though now that I say that, I suppose it's a fair question to ask whether the Turnpike might be heavier the Thursday before a three-day weekend due to traffic heading to Disney and the other amusement parks. I was thinking in terms of avoiding I-95 because I automatically assumed beach traffic would be a problem, but I hadn't thought about the Disney aspect.

It's a little weird for us to take I-95 through the Melbourne area because it takes us directly past where my wife's younger sister lived–she died two years ago. But I suppose that's something you just have to get over. Avoiding an area for that sort of reason makes no sense. Obviously it bothers her more than it bothers me, and the fact that it's not a place we pass all that often no doubt contributes).

[NJRoadfan]

The express lanes aren't going to help much with I-4's traffic woes in the area you wish to travel. The southwestern portion from Exit 55 to Exit 64 is usually at a standstill most of the day. FL-429 avoids most of it, but from Exit 60 down to 55 is among the worst sections of roadway! Coming back from Tampa on the Friday afternoon before President's Day weekend I got stuck in a solid backup starting at Exit 48! I was lucky my destination was accessible off of Exit 55 (US-27).

[1995hoo]

The express lanes aren't going to help much with I-4's traffic woes in the area you wish to travel. The southwestern portion from Exit 55 to Exit 64 is usually at a standstill most of the day. FL-429 avoids most of it, but from Exit 60 down to 55 is among the worst sections of roadway! Coming back from Tampa on the Friday afternoon before President's Day weekend I got stuck in a solid backup starting at Exit 48! I was lucky my destination was accessible off of Exit 55 (US-27).

My thought was that if I were coming up the Turnpike from Miami, I could take the direct ramp from the Turnpike into the express lanes and those would then carry me almost all the way to the Lake Mary/Sanford area.

[roadman65]

Suncoast Parkway Extension to SR 44 is now open.

[Alex]

Posted photos covering both directions of the Suncoast Parkway 2 section opened this past Monday:

Northbound
Southbound



North End



Short roadway stub at the southbound beginning from SR 44.

Also drove the newly opened I-4 Ultimate Express Lanes on Wednesday and will be adding pages on the site for those soon.