Do you dread driving on I-4? See improvements coming this month and more projects ahead
And ranking right up there is the frustration of road work that seems to drag on forever.
So mark this on your calendar: construction of "congestion relief lanes" on one of the busiest sections of Interstate 4 has finished ahead of schedule.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced this week that 6 miles of added lanes on I-4 will be completed eight months ahead of schedule.
Here's what is going on.
The new lanes, one additional lane in each direction of I-4 from U.S. 27 in Polk County to World Drive in Osceola County, will be open for use beginning the week of April 28, DeSantis said.
"The new lanes will be located on the inside of the existing I-4 mainline to provide motorists with congestion relief," FDOT said.
The project is being completed eight months ahead of schedule.
After DeSantis directed the Florida Department of Transportation to deliver immediate congestion relief along I-4, the department "used an innovative construction approach to open new lanes early."
FDOT launched the Moving I-4 Forward program and introduced a new streamlined method called Modified Phased Design-Build, a news release said.
"Benefits of using this pioneering process include reduced project timelines, travelers spending less time in traffic, fewer taxpayer dollars being spent, and a continued focus on innovation," FDOT said.
In practical application, on the section intended to open the week of April 28, construction crews paved the inner breakdown lanes, converting them to traffic lanes.
The approach allowed new lanes to open "without waiting for full project completion. These lanes will remain open through all future construction," FDOT said.
Yes. The Moving Florida Forward program includes nearly 700 projects across Florida, with $75 billion in infrastructure investment committed since 2019, a news release said.
FDOT listed these projects after the new lanes open the week of April 28:
Segment A: I-4 from east of U.S. 27 to west of S.R. 429. 4.1 miles. Segment B: I-4 from west of S.R. 429 to east of World Drive. 3.4 miles. Highlights include:
Expand I-4 to accommodate up to 12 total lanes at the ChampionsGate Boulevard (C.R. 532) and World Drive interchanges. These additional lanes will consist of up to eight general use lanes and four express lanes (for future use).
East of World Drive to east of U.S. 192. 2.6 miles. Highlights include:
Three general-use lanes and two new express lanes in each direction.
Maintain existing access to State Road (S.R.) 417 from the general-use lanes onI-4. A
New ramps will connect the S.R. 417 toll to the I-4 express lanes.
Replace toll plazas on S.R. 417.
East of C.R. 532 to west of World Drive. 3.1 miles. Highlights include:
Improvements to the State Road (S.R.) 429 interchange, which currently ends at I-4.
Four general-use lanes and two express lanes in each direction.
New ramps will be built to connect the express lanes on I-4 to S.R. 429 and from the I-4 general-use lanes to S.R. 429.
Old Lake Wilson Road will be widened from Sinclair Road to Assembly Court and over I-4 from two to four lanes with sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides, including building a second bridge.
West of U.S. 27 to west of ChampionsGate Boulevard (C.R. 532). 3.4 miles. Highlights include:
Adding two express lanes in each direction along I-4.
Adding ramps to connect I-4 express lanes and U.S. 27.
West of Osceola Parkway to east of World Center Drive (S.R. 536). 2.1 miles. Highlights include:
Adding two express lanes in each direction along I-4.
Adding ramps to connect the express lanes and S.R. 536.
Existing I-4 bridges at the Osceola Parkway interchange over Bonnet Creek will be reconstructed.
Poinciana Connector from C.R. 532 to S.R. 429. 3.5 miles. Highlights include:
Extending the Poinciana Connector from where it ends near U.S. 17 to Osceola Polk Line Road, County Road (C.R.) 532.
The I-4 project will continue and connect south of the interchange with S.R. 429.
Final configuration of the new road includes three lanes in each direction with the ability to expand to four lanes in each direction.
Ramps connecting to Osceola Polk Line Road (C.R. 532) will be included.
DeSantis announced the Moving Florida Forward initiative last year at a news conference in Polk County. The program includes nearly 700 projects across Florida.
These projects will "deliver much-needed congestion relief 10 to 20 years ahead of the original schedule," according to FDOT's website. The projects are intended to:
Strengthen resilient infrastructure for future growth.
Improve travel times by reducing congestion.
Increase safety and connectivity.
Enhance the quality of life for the community.
'We launched the Moving Florida Forward initiative to accelerate major transportation projects that reduce congestion and improve connectivity,' DeSantis said.
'With nearly 700 projects underway and $75 billion in infrastructure investment since 2019, we're delivering real results for Floridians and keeping Florida moving.'
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida Interstate 4 congestion relief. New lanes opening April 28
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