If you live in Orlando, Florida, ever visited Orlando, Florida, or even if you have only driven through, I’m pretty sure you are familiar with the ongoing construction to one of the city’s main highways, Interstate 4. I-4 is getting an entire transformation along the 21 miles that stretch from Kirkman Road to State Road 434. Residents can expect four new Express Lanes, reconstructed interchanges, and rebuilt bridges.
Now, for those of you who feel I-4 is already confusing enough, be prepared for more road closures and detours for at least another year. The city of Orlando has now extended the completion date of I-4 from early 2021 to the fall/winter of 2021.
This announcement comes after the news that the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project, initiated in 2015, will need an additional $125 million to compensate Florida Department of Transportation I-4 Mobility Partners and various organizations that are helping build. According to Orlando Sentinel, I-4 Mobility Partners advised the FDOT of delays in March of 2019. At the time, builders shared that the project was 245 days overdue and $100 million over budget (Spear, 2019).
In monthly progress reports given to the state, one report blames Hurricane Irma, a crack-filled bridge and local government oppositions as factors for the delay. Furthermore, Steve Olson, a spokesperson for FDOT said “no time extension or financial considerations” have been granted. “Construction activities are continuing, and the contractor is being held to the terms of the contract, which calls for completion in 2021,” said Olson.
While it may not seem like it, I-4 is now nearly 60 percent complete. Amidst the outbreak of the coronavirus, Gov. Ron DeSantis implemented a city-wide curfew, which would essential speed up the progress for the I-4 Ultimate Project with less cars on the road. “Taking advantage of the unique opportunity and less crowded roadways will allow key improvements on the I-4 Ultimate project to open in an expedited manner,” officials said in a news release back in May. However, it was later revealed that the curfew would only make a three-month difference to the project’s timeline.
“I get so tired of changing routes every day. I only live 15 minutes away from my job, but I have to take I-4 which means I need to leave at least 45 mins early,” said Tenisha Green, an employee at the Target in Downtown Orlando. “You can tell when someone isn’t pay attention on the road, but you can also tell when the person behind the wheel is just struggling to drive on these uneven roads,” she added.
In addition to highway I-4, the city of Orlando has also been busy building attractions in the Downtown Orlando area. TheUniversity of Central Florida Downtown campus, Orlando Police Department Headquarters and Orlando City Soccer Stadium are just a few of the recent developments in the Downtown Orlando area. The construction disrupts a smooth commute but has also resulted in gentrification as well. See “Parramore continues to undergo gentrification” above.
We all know I-4 needs this makeover, but unfortunately its taking up more time than expected. On the bright side, there have been some benefits along the way. Construction on State Road 414 from I-4 to County Road 427 and State Road 551 from south of State Road 50 to State Road 426 are to be finalized sooner than expected.
Officials said all dates are tentative pending any unforeseen circumstances.For a complete list of scheduled closures, detours, and alternate routes, visit i4ultimate.com.
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