State Road 453 - Mount Dora Connector
SR 453 is a three mile toll road spurring northwest from the Wekiva Parkway (SR 429) in northwestern Orange County to SR 46 west in Lake County. Operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), SR 453 opened to traffic in conjunction with Sections 2A/2B/2C of the Wekiva Parkway on March 31, 2018. The limited access connector provides access from SR 429 to SR 46 west to Mount Dora and Sorrento Avenue (former SR 46) east to the unincorporated community of Sorrento. There are no mainline exits from the expressway and tolls are collected electronically though EPass, Sunpass and E-ZPass transponders.
CFX opened final 5 miles of the parkway 2 pm today! New expressway connection to SR 46 from all points south. More than 760 runners got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to run wild on the Wekiva Parkway in Apopka! Including over a 60-foot high bridge! pic.twitter.com/jtjgoOfwtt
— Wekiva Parkway (@WekivaPKWYinfo) March 31, 2018
North
The two lane flyover connecting SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway) north with SR 453 (Mt. Dora Connector) north tops out at 60 feet.
03/31/18
North confirming marker for SR 453 posted just ahead of the Lake County line.
03/31/18
SR 453 spans a local access road at the Lake County line.
09/02/19
The Mt. Dora Connector weaves northwest through timberland to conclude 1.75 miles beyond the Orange County line.
09/02/19
The Coronado AET gantry follows along SR 453 north. Tolling options include EPass and toll by plate on both the Mt. Dora Connector and Wekiva Parkway.
09/02/19
A partial trumpet interchange joins the north end of the Mt. Dora Connector with SR 46 west and Sorrento Avenue (CR 46) east in one mile.
09/02/19
A second SR 453 expressway ends sign stands at the Coronado Somerset Drive underpass.
09/02/19
SR 453 curves northward across both a CSX Railroad line and parallel SR 46 / Sorrento Avenue one half mile from the at-grade end.
09/02/19
SR 46 leads west from SR 453 to U.S. 441/CR 46 in the city of Mt. Dora. Sorrento Avenue continues east as CR 46 through Sorrento and Mount Plymouth. SR 46 was relinquished from state control between SR 453 and Wekiva Parkway.
09/02/19
Traffic partitions with a signalized turn for the left lane of SR 46 west to Round Lake Road south, and the right side of SR 46 west to Mount Dora. Wekiva Parkway Sections 3A & 3B expanded SR 46 westward from a two lane rural highway into a six lane arterial. Costing $32.8 million, the 1.4 mile project started on October 30, 2017 and ran through Spring 2020.1
09/02/19
South
A single lane loop ramp connects Sorrento Avenue (CR 46) westbound with SR 453 (Mt. Dora Connector) south.
03/31/18
Traffic from SR 46 west joins SR 453, expanding the toll road to three southbound lanes ahead of this confirming marker.
02/12/21
Continuing south from the Coronado Somerset Drive underpass, SR 453 traverses an area of timberland to the Coronado toll collection point.
02/12/21
09/02/19
The first in a series of arrow per lane (APL) signs appears one mile ahead of the three-wye interchange with SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway).
02/12/21
Crossing into Orange County, SR 453 south spans a local access road south of Copperhead Road.
02/12/21
Wekiva Parkway wraps around the city of Apopka from the Lake County line south to U.S. 441 (Orange Blossom Trail) and the John Land Apopka Expressway (SR 414).
03/31/18
Curving southward through a wooded area, SR 453 south advances to the separation into two lane high speed ramps for both SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway) north and south.
02/12/21
03/31/18
SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway) turns east from the Mt. Dora Connector to Mt. Plymouth, Sanford and I-4 to Daytona Beach. Wekiva Parkway travels south to the Western Beltway for Orlando and I-4 west to Tampa.
02/12/21
SR 429 south parallels CR 437 (Plymouth Sorrento Road) to U.S. 441 (Orange Blossom Trail) in Apopka. Kelly Park Road connects the toll road with CR 437 at the ensuing exit.
02/12/22
The exchange joining SR 453 and SR 429 passes over Ondich Road and CR 437 (Plymouth Sorrento Road).
03/31/18
References:
- Sections 3A& 3B Fact Sheet (Lake County). Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Wekiva Parkway project web site.
Photo Credits:
- ABRoads: 03/31/18, 02/12/21, 02/12/22
- Brent Ivy: 09/02/19
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Page Updated Thursday November 10, 2022.