ORLANDO, Fla. – If you drive along Interstate 4 by the attractions, you know it’s likely you will hit traffic.
Our News 6 drove westbound from Sand Lake Road towards Osceola County Wednesday and noticed all the brake lights as we hit stop-and-go traffic. For years, there’s been talk about the upgrades that will fix the congestion problem in this stretch.
On Wednesday morning, the MetroPlan Orlando Board unanimously voted to approve amendments to the Cost Feasible Plan: Strategies, Programs, and Projects documentation of the 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. They include the following projects which have received advanced construction funding through the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative:
- I-4 from W of CR 532 to E of CR 522 (Osceola Pkwy)
- I-4 from W of US 27 to the Polk / Osceola County Line
- I-4 from Osceola / Orange County Line to E of SR 536
The action taken was more of a formality on the board’s part, as they make sure their plans align with the Florida Department of Transportation’s vision for I-4 through Orange and Osceola counties.
News 6 spoke with Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson about the transportation needs in her district following Wednesday’s meeting.
“The update today really showed a timeline and additional funding sources, to make sure we can get some of those projects done,” said Wilson.
Renderings shown to the board include what I-4 will look like in the future, with plans to connect to work done in the I-4 Ultimate project.
In Orange County, there will be single toll lanes in each direction. Similar upgrades would be made in Osceola County, which will have two express lanes westbound and eastbound, new auxiliary lanes, and a rail corridor in the median.
“The funding we are able to access right now because we are part of a metropolitan planning area is state funding, federal funding, and local funding,” said Wilson. “Now, the I-4 interchanges that were on the agenda today, that’s state, but they also have to comply with federal law and they work very closely with us on all of the exchanges because those ramps go right down into our communities.”
Wilson says she is excited about the plans, but she knows people who live along the I-4 corridor have been waiting a long time for changes to be made.
“I think there’s still a lot of questions about how the express lanes will end up impacting people’s overall commute,” said Wilson. “I have pretty strong feelings that express lanes, and especially expensive ones, are a little bit tough on our workers here. So, for me, I would like to see a little more equitable use of the state funds in something like a dedicated lane for transit, but the space that’s there may be able to be utilized for more than one thing.”
Construction for the stretch of I-4 in Osceola County could begin in 2025.
You can find information on current and future construction projects on the Interstate 4 corridor by heading to the I-4 Beyond website.
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