FDOT Hosts Open House to Provide Details on Improvements to Seminole County Interchanges
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) held an in-person informational open house on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at The Westin Lake Mary, Orlando North hotel. The meeting was held to provide information to the public about Seminole County construction projects that have started in the area — specifically, operational improvements to the County Road (C.R.) 46A (H.E. Thomas Jr. Parkway) and Rinehart Road intersection and safety enhancements to the Interstate 4 (I-4) and U.S. 17-92 interchange. A virtual event was held via GoToWebinar the day prior on Wednesday, December 13.
The informational open house was attended by numerous interested stakeholders and provided community members an opportunity to learn more about the projects and construction timelines and to have their questions or concerns answered by FDOT project engineers. The project engineers were on hand to respond to specific project questions and to explain the proposed improvements with the help of design plans, large display maps, video, and informational handouts.
The public also had the opportunity to submit questions and comments about the projects which will be part of the public record.
The C.R. 46A and Rinehart Road intersection project is expected to increase traffic efficiency while reducing congestion onto the I‑4 and C.R. 46A interchange. The enhancements will increase capacity at the intersection by modifying select existing turn lanes and adding new turn lanes. A third lane will also be added to southbound Rinehart Road between C.R. 46A and Timacuan Boulevard.
The project at the I-4 and U.S. 17-92 interchange is expected to increase safety by improving sight distance for motorists, upgrading sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, and reducing the speed limit from 50 mph to 35 mph. The improvements will include adding a pedestrian-activated crossing signal at the end of the eastbound I‑4 exit ramp.
Additionally, an auxiliary lane will be added on eastbound U.S. 17-92 between the westbound I‑4 exit ramp and Monroe Road. A second right turn lane will be added to U.S. 17-92 when driving east to continue south on U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road. The dual right-turn-only lanes will stop at the signalized intersection with Seminole Boulevard, replacing the existing free-flow right turn. A right turn lane will be added from southbound U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road to the eastbound I‑4 entrance ramp, and a left turn lane will be added from westbound Seminole Boulevard to U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road to drive south.
For more information about the projects, visit:
To review materials from the public meeting, visit the meeting webpage.
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I-4 Beyond the Ultimate Reached Key Milestones in 2023
As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time to pause for a moment to look back over what the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) accomplished in the past year. Among the highlights were the celebration of the opening of a new diverging diamond interchange (DDI) early in the year, and a few months later, groundbreaking on another project to improve safety and mobility with the installation of another new DDI.
ChampionsGate Boulevard (County Road (C.R.) 532): February saw the completion and opening of the new DDI at ChampionsGate Boulevard and Interstate 4 (I-4). The innovative project was designed to improve safety and mobility in the ChampionsGate area. In addition to the new DDI, improvements include widening the exit and entrance ramps to I-4 to increase capacity, eliminating the left turn from southbound Goodman Road to C.R. 532, adding a wrong way vehicle detection system (WWVDS), and repaving throughout the area.
I-4 in Osceola County: Work is nearly completed on the project to add capacity to I-4 and State Road (S.R.) 429 in Osceola County. The new eastbound I-4 auxiliary lane between the ramps of S.R. 429 and C.R. 532 opened in May, and the westbound auxiliary lane in the same area opened in July. In addition, a new auxiliary lane on S.R. 429 between I-4 and Sinclair Road also opened in the summer.
Daryl Carter Parkway: The new partial interchange at I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway started to rise out of the ground this year. Underground drainage work continued throughout the project, and over the summer, crews drove pile and built new bridge piers. They also started building the ramps between I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway and installing mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls to support those ramps. The project also includes construction of a single, buffer-separated, express lane from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of Central Florida Parkway. This express lane will be constructed in three separate projects with the finished lane extending from west of Sand Lake Road (S.R. 482) to west of S.R. 536.
Sand Lake Road: FDOT broke ground on the Sand Lake Road and I-4 interchange project which will transform the interchange into a DDI by 2027. Crews began work with utility relocations in anticipation of the construction of new ramps and bridges. In November, pile driving began, along with sidewalk and median work to prepare for the changeover to the initial DDI configuration next year. This project also includes reconstructing the I‑4 general use lanes from west of Sand Lake Road to the end of the I‑4 Ultimate project. Two westbound, barrier-separated, express lanes are being built from the existing express lanes near Kirkman Road to west of Sand Lake Road. These will transition to a single, buffer-separated express lane in the westbound direction from west of Sand Lake Road and tie in just west of Central Florida Parkway, connecting to the express lane section being constructed as part of the Daryl Carter Parkway project.
Seminole County: Two projects also began construction along I-4 in Seminole County in late 2023. Work is ongoing at the C.R. 46A (H.E. Thomas Jr. Parkway) and Rinehart Road intersection just east of the I-4 interchange at C.R. 46A. This project is expected to increase traffic efficiency at the intersection while reducing congestion onto the interchange. The enhancements will increase capacity by modifying select existing turn lanes and adding new turn lanes. A third lane will also be added to southbound Rinehart Road between C.R. 46A and Timacuan Boulevard.
The second Seminole County project is taking place at the I-4 and U.S. 17-92 interchange. This project is expected to increase safety at the interchange by improving sight distance for motorists, upgrading sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, and reducing the speed limit from 50 mph to 35 mph. The improvements will include adding a pedestrian-activated crossing signal at the end of the eastbound I‑4 exit ramp.
Additionally, an auxiliary lane will be added on eastbound U.S. 17-92 between the westbound I‑4 exit ramp and Monroe Road. A second right turn lane will be added to U.S. 17-92 when driving east to continue south on U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road. The dual right-turn-only lanes will stop at the signalized intersection with Seminole Boulevard, replacing the existing free-flow right turn. A right turn lane will be added from southbound U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road to the eastbound I‑4 entrance ramp, and a left turn lane will be added from westbound Seminole Boulevard to U.S. 17-92/Monroe Road to drive south.
As we celebrate the accomplishments of 2023 and look forward to 2024, FDOT wishes everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. We also remind you to drive safely in work zones to make sure everyone enjoys the festivities with their families and loved ones.
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Diverging Diamond Interchanges: Navigating DDIs with Safety and Ease
A diverging diamond interchange (DDI) is coming to the Interstate 4 (I-4) and Sand Lake Road (State Road (S.R.) 482) interchange. Although the completed DDI will take some time for construction, the project will adopt an initial DDI configuration in early 2024 so that crews will have space to work on the bridge over Sand Lake Road.
In anticipation of drivers’ questions regarding the initial DDI in this busy interchange, below are some facts, benefits, and guidelines for navigating DDIs.
The DDI Basics
DDIs are part of an innovative interchange configuration that cost effectively improves safety for drivers while improving the flow of traffic. The lanes in a DDI cross over to the left side of the roadway to reduce the number of traffic signal phases. DDIs also allow drivers to make a seamless left turn without having to cross in front of oncoming traffic. The lanes then return to the right side of the road at a traffic signal on the other side of the interchange.
The Benefits of DDIs
- Safety: DDIs reduce conflict points (places where vehicles must merge or cross in front of each other) by 50 percent compared to a conventional interchange.
- Cost: Because DDIs generally require less right of way to build, they are more cost effective to construct than some other types of interchanges.
- Efficiency: By design, DDIs have fewer traffic signal phases, which helps to reduce congestion and move higher volumes of traffic.
As the initial DDI coming to Sand Lake Road in early 2024 moves to transform traffic along the area, below are some easy-to-follow guidelines based on entry and exit points to get you and your loved ones safely to your destination.
Navigating the DDI
- Approaching a DDI, drivers should proceed through the first traffic light, staying in the lane in which they are driving.
- The lane will guide the driver to the opposite side of the road. Drivers should pay attention to signs and pavement markings.
Before the lane crosses back to the right side of the road, the driver will encounter one more traffic signal.
Entering I-4 from Sand Lake Road
- Drivers who want to turn right onto I-4 from Sand Lake Road should use the right turn lane, just like a conventional interchange.
- When turning left onto I-4 from Sand Lake Road, the driver should stay in the left lane and follow the lane through the first traffic light to the other side of the road. Then, before going through the second traffic light, the driver will turn left into the I-4 entrance ramp.
Exiting I-4 onto Sand Lake Road
- Turning right onto Sand Lake Road from one of the I-4 exit ramps is as easy as taking a right turn at a conventional interchange. When turning right onto Sand Lake Road, remember to yield to oncoming traffic and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists using marked walkways.
- To turn left onto Sand Lake Road, follow the left lane and, when traffic allows, take a left turn. The lanes will guide the driver from the left side of the road to the right side of the road, as if going straight through the interchange.
To learn more about the DDI project at Sand Lake Road, please visit: I4Beyond.com/SandLake.
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