Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) crews at the Interstate 4 (I-4) and Sand Lake Road (State Road (S.R.) 482) interchange project are constructing four new I-4 bridges over Sand Lake Road. These new bridges will form part of the new loop ramp system connecting westbound I-4 and westbound Sand Lake Road directly to Turkey Lake Road and will accommodate the extension of westbound I-4 Express past its current endpoint near Kirkman Road (S.R. 435).

In late July, crews shifted traffic on westbound I-4 to new general use lanes over Sand Lake Road. These westbound lanes utilize a new bridge over Sand Lake Road alongside I-4 that was constructed over the past year.

Shortly after shifting traffic, crews began demolishing the original westbound I-4 bridge over Sand Lake Road. First, jackhammers were used to demolish the concrete bridge deck. Once the bridge deck was gone, crews demolished the superstructure of the bridge, removing the steel beams via crane. After the beams were removed and the bridge columns dismantled, crews demolished the foundation of the bridge and removed the steel bridge piles. This bridge demolition operation over Sand Lake Road was completed on August 18.

With the old bridge removed, construction crews can build a new bridge over Sand Lake Road that will form part of the westbound I-4 Express extension. The project is constructing two barrier-separated westbound I-4 Express lanes from the current end point to west of Sand Lake Road. These lanes will transition to a single, buffer-separated westbound express lane from west of Sand Lake Road and tie in just west of Central Florida Parkway. The express lane extension is being constructed in three separate projects.

To learn more about the project, visit I4Beyond.com/SandLake.