In multiple counties, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continues to monitor work on the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate project.
(FDOT photo)
In multiple counties, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continues to monitor work on the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate project. The ongoing construction includes reconstructing the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass into a diverging diamond interchange (DDI).
"The goal of the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate program is to improve safety, mobility and connectivity in central Florida along approximately 40 miles of I-4 — 20 miles on each side of the I-4 Ultimate project to the east and west," said FDOT district five public information director Cindi Lane. "I-4 Beyond the Ultimate addresses the biggest challenges to mobility on I-4 in Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties through a series of separate projects designed and constructed by the department."
The work will improve pavement, bridges and interchanges and enhance appearance and design. It also will make significant improvements to the infrastructure to enable the collection and communication of vital traffic data.
"The Beyond the Ultimate project will increase capacity in specific areas along I-4 to accommodate traffic moving in and out of the region," said Lane. "FDOT closely monitors current and projected traffic volumes on I-4, as well as potential traffic pattern changes stemming from central Florida's rapid growth. Building a strong, resilient, community- focused transportation network is key to having a successful regional transportation system."
FDOT has been working for the last eight years on planning and designing I-4 improvements in the area.
Most recently, FDOT has been making improvements along the I-4 corridor from U.S. 27 to the beginning of the I-4 Ultimate project at Kirkman Road (State Road 435). This includes the recent completion of a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at I-4 and County Road (C.R.) 532.
Construction also has begun at I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway. This project will transform the overpass into a DDI and provide additional access to local attractions, while relieving congestion at the I-4 and S.R. 535 interchange. The contractor for the I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway improvement project is Superior Construction.
"The project at Daryl Carter Parkway and additional interchange improvement projects at Sand Lake Road and S.R. 535 will each construct a segment of a new westbound I-4 express lane from west of Sand Lake Road to west of S.R. 536," said Lane. "Once all three projects are finished, the express lane will open to traffic, providing additional benefits to motorists looking for a reliable transportation choice."
The construction cost of the I-4 and Daryl Carter interchange improvement effort is $76.4 million.
Crews are transforming the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass into an interchange, providing additional access to local attractions and relieving congestion at the I-4 and Apopka-Vineland Road (S.R. 535) interchange.
"This interim project will add three new ramps connecting I-4 to Daryl Carter Parkway: exit ramps from both directions of I-4 to Daryl Carter Parkway and an entrance ramp to eastbound I-4," said Lane. "A westbound I-4 entrance ramp will be built as part of a future project."
Completing the ramps involves not only constructing them, but also providing water treatment from the ramps and adding additional pavement. Steps to creating the DDI include restriping the roadway and installing appropriate signalizations for the crossovers.
"The future DDI at Daryl Carter Parkway will operate in very much the same way as the one that's currently operational at I-4 and C.R. 532. The biggest differences will be the absence of the westbound I-4 on-ramp at Daryl Carter Parkway, and the Daryl Carter Parkway DDI is on top of I-4, while the C.R. 532 DDI is under I-4."
The undertaking includes I-4 improvements from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of Central Florida Parkway. Construction includes a single, buffer-separated, managed lane from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of Central Florida Parkway. This managed lane will be constructed in three separate projects with the finished lane extending from west of Sand Lake Road to west of S.R. 536.
Construction is still in the early stages.
According to Lane, progress to date has been focused on establishing safe work zones by clearing and grubbing, setting up environmental protections and maintenance of traffic. Drainage work has begun. The major excavation will be for the drainage system to add additional retention and installation of drainage pipes.
This major interchange project will require all elements of roadway and bridge construction. During construction the contractor will be using excavators, pile driving equipment, multiple cranes, compactors and asphalt equipment.
Main materials will include limestone and asphalt. For bridge construction, precast concrete piles, precast beams, reinforcing steel and concrete will be required. For mast arms and sign structures, steel will be needed. The use of plastics will be minimal for ITS and signalization equipment.
Work on the I-4 and Daryl Carter interchange improvement project began in November 2022 and is expected to be complete by early 2026.
Regarding County Road 532, interchange construction was completed in early March. The contractor is finalizing I-4 widening with the addition of auxiliary lanes between C.R. 532 and S.R. 429. The full operational improvements at this interchange will be achieved with the opening of the additional lanes.
The $10.4 million project converted the I-4 and C.R. 532 interchange into a DDI. This innovative design enhances safety for motorists by allowing drivers to make left turns without crossing in front of traffic. It also improves mobility by reducing the number of traffic signal phases.
In addition to the diverging diamond design, all four ramps at the interchange have been widened to increase capacity. This project also added dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks along C.R. 532, making this a true multi-modal corridor.
Lane noted that while most of the improvements on I-4 over the past several years have been made within the I-4 Ultimate project limits, FDOT has been studying and planning for improvements to the east and west to continue modernizing central Florida's transportation backbone.
"To meet growing demands along other areas of the I-4 corridor, future improvements are being evaluated and designed through the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate program. Over the past several years, FDOT has been working through a process called value engineering.
"This process aims to reduce overall construction costs while still providing the same safety benefits and congestion relief as originally planned. The value engineering process makes it easier to find funding for needed improvements."
As for the biggest challenges on the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate project, said Lane, "Florida is the fastest growing state in America and the counties that I-4 serves in central Florida are some of the fastest growing in the state, with some areas seeing 20 percent growth rates.
"Meeting the growing demands along the I-4 corridor continues to be one of FDOT's biggest challenges. Also, to provide additional capacity along the I-4 corridor, additional right of way is needed. This is a highly developed urban area and purchasing is very expensive."
Despite the concerns, Lane said it's truly rewarding to witness I-4 Beyond the Ultimate construction.
"As central Florida evolves, FDOT is investing in roadway and multimodal improvements, so the community can continue to enjoy safe and reliable choices in how they travel. With I-4 Ultimate open to traffic, it is time to address congestion west and east of it, bringing needed improvements on key interchanges. The department is proud of the work done so far to enhance safety and mobility along the I-4 corridor but is also eager to begin more projects that provide these travel benefits." CEG
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