I-4 construction in Orlando

[longhorn]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

I noticed some odd bridge supports downtown. It looks like FDOT is using steel girders as vertical supports under I-4 ? Or are those temporary supports? Downtown around the Amway arena. It looks like they are slowly trying to replace the present downtown bridges along with expansion of course.

[Brian556]

http://i4ultimate.com/

[adventurernumber1]

Also, I think there are a few threads on this forum on this subject:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14498.0

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=16270.msg2087781#msg2087781

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=17704.msg2136542#msg2136542 (though this one is not directly related)

[longhorn]

Thank you for your posts.

[NE2]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

Since when are they widening it up there?

[longhorn]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

Since when are they widening it up there?

I flew out of Sanford yesterday, and there was construction on I-4 all the way from downtown Orlando to the major road that takes you to the airport.

[DeaconG]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

I noticed some odd bridge supports downtown. It looks like FDOT is using steel girders as vertical supports under I-4 ? Or are those temporary supports? Downtown around the Amway arena. It looks like they are slowly trying to replace the present downtown bridges along with expansion of course.

It's part of the I-4 Ultimate project, it's for the completion of the reconstruction of the I-4/FL 408 interchange.

[NE2]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

Since when are they widening it up there?

I flew out of Sanford yesterday, and there was construction on I-4 all the way from downtown Orlando to the major road that takes you to the airport.

I know about all that. But that doesn't match your initial post.
http://www.google.com/maps/place/International+Pkwy,+Sanford,+FL

[longhorn]

Is there a website explaining the construction or expansion of I-4 from International Parkway to Sanford?

Since when are they widening it up there?

I flew out of Sanford yesterday, and there was construction on I-4 all the way from downtown Orlando to the major road that takes you to the airport.

I know about all that. But that doesn't match your initial post.
http://www.google.com/maps/place/International+Pkwy,+Sanford,+FL

Oops, Ok, I meant International Drive on the south side of Orlando. From Sand Lake Road. Sorry for the confusion.

[roadman65]

FYI the WB I-4 permanent SB Kirkman Ramp is now open.  I used it and its nice to not have to deal with traffic in the left lane as the ramp is on the right.

[Plutonic Panda]

They are now extending this construction project through the tourist areas to the tune of over 2 billion.

I-4 Beyond the Ultimate: Building a Better I-4The Florida Department of Transportation's I-4 Beyond the Ultimate is reconstructing large portions of Interstate 4 (I-4) in Central Florida to create a signature corridor that will increase safety, mobility and connectivity in the region.

I-4 Beyond the Ultimate extends the eastern endpoint of the I-4 Ultimate project another 20 miles and also adds 20 miles to its western endpoint. The BtU segments will connect seamlessly with I-4 Ultimate.

The project is divided into several design segments. Each must undergo a stringent, multistep process that includes planning, environmental study, preliminary design, right-of-way considerations, design and construction. While the sections stand at different points in the overall process, the Development and Environment (PD&E) Reevaluation Study has been finalized for the entire project.

http://www.i4express.com/



[vimeo][/vimeo]

[roadman65]

Crossroads Shopping Center in LBV will be closed as FDOT seized it to make more ramps to FL 535 as part of the Beyond the Ultimate Project.  So Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, and Goodings Supermarket will be going and every other fast food including Johnnies fine dining steakhouse from that location that served tourists for decades.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-disney-crossroads-535-20161216-story.html
Old article but to support this thread and maybe news to some users.

[D-Dey65]

The construction won't lead to the closure of the Seminole County Rest Areas, will it?

http://www.fdot.gov/maintenance/Rest_Area_App/rest_areas.asp?facnum=50221,50222

Because I'm trying to get pics of all the rest areas on I-4.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update on this project. Toll lanes open early this year:

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/12/29/i4-ultimate-toll-lanes-to-open-soon

https://twitter.com/jerryhume/status/1471529838943129611?s=21

It's hard to believe though we have toll roads opening in 2022 that can't even do plate pay.

[kevinb1994]

Update on this project. Toll lanes open early this year:

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/12/29/i4-ultimate-toll-lanes-to-open-soon

[tweet]1471529838943129611[/tweet]?s=21

It's hard to believe though we have toll roads opening in 2022 that can't even do plate pay.

I was on I-4 last month on the way to/from Holiday Matsuri (I won't go into detail about the supposed Chick-Fil-A dead zone, despite the good meal that I had). It's nice that it's almost done, but what's the dealio with the lack of pay-by-plate?   I mean, Universal Orlando's a great place for tourists, but...

I'll bet that they're trying to coordinate as many toll lane/toll road projects in Florida as possible. This project, and here in Jacksonville, the nearly-complete I-295 HOT lanes. I won't get to use them, though, as I'm a local. But getting to, say, Disney World (for example) via the I-4 Ultimate will be easier, I suppose. And compared to 2019 (my most recent trip to Disney World, before the pandemic shut down), driving on I-4 late last year wasn't as bad.

[Plutonic Panda]

Really pay by plate at least in Oklahoma isn't worth it. It costs a lot more but it is still a heck of a lot less than receiving a penalty/fine for not paying tolls.

[Plutonic Panda]

Toll lane extension planned: https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/10/fdot-to-build-i4-tube

[ukfan758]

Toll lane extension planned: https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/10/fdot-to-build-i4-tube

So is this basically a temporary solution until I-4 "Beyond the Ultimate" builds the 2 express lanes each way out to US-27 or did they scrap that?

[jeffandnicole]

Update on this project. Toll lanes open early this year:

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/12/29/i4-ultimate-toll-lanes-to-open-soon

It's hard to believe though we have toll roads opening in 2022 that can't even do plate pay.

I would think the purpose of express lanes is to encourage those with tags to use them, rather than anyone and everyone, which adds an increased reliance of tracking down motorists to get the toll paid. They'll still need to do it for those without a tag, but at a greater cost to the motorist who shouldn't have been using the lanes via fines.

If there was no free option, you would be right. With the free option right there, motorists who want to use what should be the faster lanes can get the tag.

[pianocello]

Toll lane extension planned: https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/10/fdot-to-build-i4-tube

FDOT is concerned congestion will form where the already built I-4 west toll lanes end near Kirkman Road. Toll lane drivers will be squeezed back into the existing lanes near Universal Orlando.

It blows my mind that they didn't try to mitigate that when they designed the lanes in the first place.

[1995hoo]

Another thing about pay-by-plate is that it reportedly adds cost for the toll agency if they get a lot of out-of-state plates, and it's certainly fair to recognize that the Orlando area gets a lot of them due to certain destinations there. I don't know all the details–mtantillo of this forum knows a lot about the topic but has not posted in quite some time, and he said something about some states charging other states for access to their license-plate databases to the point where some toll agencies concluded toll-by-plate isn't worth it. It's also why the agencies that don't allow it often impose a fairly steep charge on violators who don't have the appropriate transponder–to pass on some of the cost of tracking down violators.

[roadman65]

Done now, as I was on all of it on its last free trial period yesterday.  Nice ride I must say.

[civilengineeringnerd]

Toll lane extension planned: https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2022/02/10/fdot-to-build-i4-tube

FDOT is concerned congestion will form where the already built I-4 west toll lanes end near Kirkman Road. Toll lane drivers will be squeezed back into the existing lanes near Universal Orlando.

It blows my mind that they didn't try to mitigate that when they designed the lanes in the first place.

honestly I-4 was needed badly for a new widening project throughout its leg in florida. i kept hearing that people get into accidents and it was even called the most dangerous interstate at one point. FDOT is super behind on I-4, im more surprised it didn't get started much sooner. pretty sure FDOT knew it was a dangerous leg but probably didn't wanna widen it and probably opted for mass transit options for decades, which a lot of DOTs have been doing since the 90s for some odd reason.
overall, its well past needing it, and glad FDOT is doing it. guess the bad rep on I-4 told them all they needed to know about I-4. LOL

[roadman65]

In Lake Buena Vista wrecking crews demolished the Disney owned Crossroads Shopping Center to make wave for the new WB I-4 Exit 68 ramp. How long FDOT waits to take advantage of Disney's generosity remains to be seen, but the Daryl Carter DDI nearby is well underway as that's part of the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate project.

[ElishaGOtis]

I'm hoping that Beyond the Ultimate in the LBV area gains more traction despite being a multi-billion dollar project. For an AADT of up to 200,000, the current conditions can't be sustained imo 

What's the latest update on the Express Lane construction in that area? Last I heard from this thread there was an interim proposal for the "tube"  express lane that would be a single lane WB–until additional funding for more parts of the full project comes into play. Will these be connected with the thru lanes on Beachline?

Does Brightline Rail construction affect this long-term project?