“Once I-4 Ultimate is complete, the corridor will be a celebration of local heritage and will serve as a reminder of what makes Central Florida unique.”
We spend much of our time traveling to and from work. In fact, a study by the Everyday Health found that the average person spends about 25 minutes traveling each day! For many of us Floridians, that adds up to thousands of hours spend on the infamous roadways of I-4. If you have taken even a brief trip along the I-4 corridor in the past three years, you’ve probably noticed some extra barricades and traffic cones along that way. That is because we are in the middle of a major transformation of this interstate called the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project.
First, some history: Interstate 4 was created back in the late 1950’s with the financial backing of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, as well as state support from the Florida Department of Transportation. Still managed by the FDOT, I-4 spans 133-miles beginning in Tampa and ending in Daytona Beach, touching several cities in between intersecting with major toll highways such as 417, 408, 429, and the Florida Turnpike just to name a few. The building of this interstate came at a turning point for Orlando, as the city began transforming from a small citrus growing town to an international tourism hotspot. Though construction was complete in 1965, the opening of Walt Disney World and Sea World quickly increased vehicle traffic, and therefore pushed the need for continuous construction forward. For the past 25 years, small projects to widen roads and add bridges and exits have been underway, but the FDOT decided that 2015 was the time to begin the largest I-4 overhaul since its original construction.
So what does this mean for you? This means more traffic, detours, and temporary roads until the project’s completion in 2021. Before you release that heavy sigh or annoyed groan, consider these long term benefits!
By the completion of the I-4 Ultimate Project, we will have:
· Four new tolled Express Lanes (two in each direction)
· Thirteen widened bridges, 74 replaced bridges and 53 new bridges
· Accent lighting
· Illuminated fountains
· Bold landscape & artistic design courtesy of the I-4 Ultimate Art Endowment Program
· Enhanced bridge architecture
The Florida Department of Transportation is taking incredible strides to innovate by using technology and architecture to create more than a major highway. Innovations by way of deeper community connectors, greater traffic flow auxiliary lanes, pedestrian intersection walkways, and sustainability features are going to make I-4 an example to other major metropolitan cities seeking improvements in the future.
Partners with the I-4 Ultimate project have even taken one step further to make this highway special through the I-4 Ultimate Art Endowment Program. This $1.5 million initiative is seeking to beautify Central Florida’s I-4 corridor by providing more scenic and cultural views while traveling through some of our key cities. Once the dust of construction clears, public art installations, streetscapes, parks, and more will decorate our 21-mile stretch through the cities of Eatonville, Maitland, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, and more! This program will be calling upon local artists THIS SUMMER to partake in this endeavor. See the I-4 Ultimate website for more details.
On your next drive through the gridlock of I-4, think about the beauty and innovation that will be surrounding us in the next few years. What you may now consider the most annoying part of your day may soon become the most exciting! We spend over four years of our lives stuck in traffic, and come 2021, we will be able to spend some of that time on new and improved roads highlighting what makes Central Florida amazing.
Comments