One additional lane in each direction will be open to traffic the week of April 28
Government rarely moves quickly.
Neither do vehicles on Interstate 4 in the ChampionsGate area.
However, Governor Ron DeSantis worked around the bureaucracy.
DeSantis’ plan to expand Interstate 4 to widen the highway and add lanes is eight months ahead of schedule he announced to a crowd of more than 150 Monday morning in Celebration during an outdoor press conference with Interstate 4 in the background.
According to Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, DeSantis saw a problem with the logjam near Interstate 4 and the ChampionsGate area and did something about it.
DeSantis took the general revenue surplus and advanced it in the area of congestion relief projects that were slated for 15 to 20 years in the future.
“That’s exactly what he did,” said Perdue. “Interstate 4 is a great example of that. We rolled out this initiative two years ago and we’re 70 percent under way just two years into the initiative. It truly is remarkable and a testament to Governor DeSantis’ leadership.”
While Interstate 4 was stop-and-go in that area on Monday morning, it was clear to see the work that had been done and the equipment used in doing it.
“We actually were able to fund a three-and-a-half billion-dollar project to completely reconstruct I-4,” continued Perdue. “I don’t know when this project would have been funded had it not been for this Moving Forward initiative. This is going to be a game changer for the region.”
Perdue noted that Interstate 4 was a parking lot in the area on Monday morning.
“It’s a parking lot all day,” he added. “Governor DeSantis has high expectations. But one thing we have to do is cut through red tape. So we’re going to completely reconstruct Interstate 4, but we’re going to provide you with additional capacity in a few weeks. They’re going to open up and we will maintain those new lanes throughout the entire duration of construction, eight months ahead of schedule.”
Moving Forward is five projects.
Project 1 is east of World Drive to east of U.S. Highway 192. It will enhance regional connectivity by adding ramps from Interstate 4’s proposed express lanes that directly connect to State Road 417. Additional I-4 interchange upgrades will improve safety by removing the existing toll plaza on State Road 417 and replacing it with an electronic toll collection to allow for the free flow of traffic at highway speeds. This section of Interstate 4 will include three general use lanes, two express lanes and intermittent auxiliary lanes in each direction in Osceola County.
Project 2 is east of ChampionsGate Blvd (County Road 532) to west of World Drive. Project 2 will enhance regional connectivity by adding ramps from Interstate 4’s general use lanes and proposed express lanes that directly connect to State Road 429 and the new Poinciana Connector (State Road 538). This section of Interstate 4 will include four general use lanes and two express lanes in each direction. Old Lake Wilson Road will also be widened from Sinclair Road to Assembly Court and over Interstate 4 from two to four lanes with sidewalk and bicycle lanes on both sides. A second bridge will be built to accommodate the new infrastructure.
Project 3 is west of U.S. Highway 27 to west of ChampionsGate Blvd (County Road 532) and will provide improved capacity by adding two express lanes in each direction along Interstate 4. It will also enhance connectivity by adding ramps that provide direct connections between Interstate 4 express lanes and U.S. Highway 27. Interchange enhancements at U.S. Highway 27 will provide operational improvements while accommodating the many businesses along the highway in Polk County.
Project 4 is west of Osceola Parkway to east of World Center Drive (State Road 536). Project 4 will provide improved capacity by adding two express lanes in each direction along Interstate 4. It will also provide enhanced connectivity by adding ramps that provide direct connections between the express lanes and State Road 536. The existing Interstate 4 bridges at the Osceola Parkway interchange over Bonnet Creek will be reconstructed in Orange and Osceola Counties.
Project 5 will construct a new road called the Poinciana Connector from County Road 532 to north of Interstate 4. This new roadway will connect to a future Central Florida Expressway Authority facility just south of County Road 532 to existing State Road 429 just north of Interstate 4. The Poinciana Connector will also include ramp connections to Interstate 4 and County Road 532. The final configuration of this new road will include three lanes in each direction, providing an alternative route that will alleviate traffic within this area’s roadway network in Polk and Osceola County.
Businessman Jason James, owner of Mechanical One, started his business after 2021 with a few employees. Currently James has over 700 employees using the Interstate system every day.
“I wanted to thank the governor for having the vision to push things forward and cutting red tape, having these timelines moved up, has a direct, real world impact on local businesses and the community.”
“The best is yet to come,” said DeSantis. “We’re going to continue working really hard to increase mobility, reduce congestion and make sure Florida continues to lead the way. It’s important for quality of life. It’s also important for our continued economic vitality.”