Restoring vital access to downtown Orlando
The Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) I-4 Ultimate project is approaching another milestone with the scheduled opening of the westbound Interstate 4 (I-4) exit ramp to State Road 50/Colonial Drive (Exit 84) and the westbound I-4 on ramp from Colonial Drive in their final alignments.
The ramps will open to traffic as soon as 5 a.m., Friday, June 26. Westbound I-4 also shifts onto brand new travel lanes over Colonial Drive. Combined with a recent traffic shift through College Park, approximately six miles of the interstate will now be in its final footprint westbound between Fairbanks Avenue and Michigan Street, right through the heart of downtown Orlando.
Gone is the old antiquated interchange with looping ramps, requiring drivers to pass through multiple traffic signals. When completed, the interchange will be a single point urban interchange (SPUI). This design reduces motorist wait time for a green light and improves traffic flow in all directions. A single traffic signal located under I-4 will control all traffic movements through the interchange.
The SPUI is well suited for this location, meeting today’s engineering standards and tomorrow’s needs, with the ability to handle more than 10,000 vehicles through the interchange per hour. The newly reconstructed westbound interchange ramps allowed for the removal of concrete piles out of Lake Concord which were necessary to support the outdated loop.
A comparison of a pre-construction aerial photo and final improvement rendering for the S.R. 50/I-4 interchange is available for download here. Additional aerial photos of the interchange showing pre-construction conditions and progress at this location from June 2020 also are attached.
Traffic traveling the westbound I-4 exit to Colonial will be combined with traffic entering I-4 from Ivanhoe Boulevard. Ivanhoe Boulevard motorists will drive across Colonial Drive before entering westbound I-4. Please view or download this handout for more information.
As closures and detours continue, it is important for motorists to pay extra attention to signage as familiar routes may have changed. Drivers should avoid distractions, adjust their speed, and allow plenty of extra time to navigate the I-4 Ultimate work zone.
Modifications or extensions to these schedules may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are encouraged to follow @I4Ultimate on Twitter or visit I4Ultimate.com for updates.
