Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) crews at the Interstate 4 (I-4) and Apopka-Vineland Road (State Road (S.R.) 535) interchange project are working to improve safety, traffic efficiency, and connectivity at this vital gateway to Central Florida’s tourism corridor. The numerous improvements coming to the interchange include a new loop ramp system, realigned and lengthened westbound I-4 ramps, increased storage for left- and right-turn lanes, and milling and resurfacing of Apopka-Vineland Road.

Over the past year, project crews laid the groundwork for three new roadway bridges at the interchange. Last month, crews reached a milestone by wrapping up pile driving operations.

Across the three new bridge locations, crews drove a total of 109 steel bridge piles into the soil using a hydraulic hammer held up by a large crane. These piles consist of a total of 11,481 feet of steel and serve as a sturdy foundation for roadway bridges, ensuring that the newly built structure laid atop the piles is secured to the ground below.

With pile driving complete, crews will form the substructure and superstructure of the bridge, starting with the construction of concrete columns directly onto the piles. Once the substructure is complete, crews will use cranes to place concrete beams atop the columns. Finally, crews will pour a new concrete bridge deck across the beams, which will serve as the driving surface for the new roadway.

Two of the three new bridges form part of a new loop ramp that will connect northbound Apopka-Vineland Road directly to westbound I-4, eliminating the need for motorists to turn left across traffic to access the interstate. This new loop ramp will increase efficiency and safety at the interchange by eliminating the traffic signal's left-turn phase.

To facilitate construction of this new loop ramp alongside westbound I-4, crews shifted traffic at the westbound I-4 exit ramp to Apopka-Vineland Road — another milestone on the project. On the morning of August 17, traffic exiting westbound I-4 was shifted to a new road surface that passes under the first of two bridges that will form the future loop ramp. For drivers, the biggest change is that the entrance point for the ramp is now approximately 1,000 feet sooner, meaning motorists who wish to access Apopka-Vineland Road must exit westbound I-4 earlier than they did previously.

Now that traffic has been shifted, crews can begin constructing the remaining sections of the new loop ramp. This will include building up a base for the new road surface alongside westbound I-4. Crews are also constructing a new bridge across Apopka-Vineland Road that will serve as the second of two bridges for the new loop ramp. In the future, motorists using the new loop ramp will drive alongside westbound I-4 and merge onto I-4 after passing over Apopka-Vineland Road.

The third new bridge at the interchange will accommodate the extension of westbound I-4 Express in the median of I-4. Crews are constructing a single, buffer-separated westbound express lane from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of S.R. 536. This express lane extension is being constructed in three separate projects and will ultimately lengthen I-4 Express by ten miles from its current end point near Kirkman Road (S.R. 435) to west of S.R. 536.

To learn more about the project, visit I4Beyond.com/SR535.

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.

Since the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) opened the Interstate 4 (I-4) and Daryl Carter Parkway interchange on July 19, motorists have taken advantage of the new connection to I-4. With three new ramps — exit ramps in both directions and an eastbound I-4 entrance ramp — the interchange provides new access to residences, hotels, shopping, dining, and attractions. Orlando’s tourism corridor has seen increased growth in recent years, and many of the businesses along Daryl Carter Parkway are now near a brand new I-4 interchange.

Local business leaders are excited about what this means for their visitors and employees. John Geller, president and CEO of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, said his team will benefit from the improved access to and from I-4.

“From most people what I'm hearing is it could take 10-15 minutes off their commute each way,” Geller said of the new interchange. “We've got over a thousand associates that work out of our office building here. It’s going to be really important for their commute.”

Motorists choosing to use the I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway interchange will bring more traffic to local businesses. The new interchange will help reduce congestion at adjacent interchanges, such as Sand Lake Road (State Road (S.R.) 482) and Apopka-Vineland Road (S.R. 535).

“I think it's going to be significant, especially for the local businesses here, just having that easy access off I-4,” Geller said, “It’s been great for us in the last 20 months, watching the development of the interchange as well as the new businesses coming into O-Town West.”

The I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway interchange is home to I-4’s newest diverging diamond interchange (DDI), an innovative design that improves safety and traffic flow by reducing vehicle conflict points and moving twice the amount of traffic compared to a traditional interchange. There are no left turns across traffic in a DDI, which reduces the risk of crashes by nearly half.

Chuck Whittall, president and CEO of Unicorp National Developments, said he is confident this interchange will help bring in more visitors.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see twice the number of visitors that we currently have,” Whittall said. “The interchange is going to carry a lot of people.”

The project to transform the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass into a new I-4 interchange began in 2022 and is anticipated to reach completion in 2025. With O-Town West and surrounding areas continuing to develop, the project’s completion has stakeholders in the area excited for what’s to come.

“It’s going to be a great impact for all the businesses,” Whittall said. “Right now, I think a lot of the businesses get overlooked because there (was) no easy access to them, so the interchange will definitely drive business.”

Learn more about the I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway interchange improvement project at I4Beyond.com/darylcarter.

CarFit is a program that helps older drivers across the country stay safe and comfortable behind the wheel. Developed by the American Society on Aging (ASA) in collaboration with American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), American Automobile Association (AAA), and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), CarFit offers free, personalized assessments that help older adults adapt their vehicles for optimal safety and operational efficiency.

CarFit events pair trained technicians with older drivers to evaluate how well their vehicle fits them. A proper fit in one’s car can greatly increase driver safety and the safety of others. During a 20-minute checkup, participants learn how to adjust mirrors, seats, and steering wheels to reduce blind spots, improve visibility, and promote safer driving habits. The program does not assess driving ability; it focuses on helping individuals adapt their cars to meet changing physical needs.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), older adults are more likely to be injured or killed in car crashes due to increased physical vulnerability. CarFit aims to reduce that risk by promoting awareness and providing practical solutions, especially as vision, flexibility, and reaction times change with age.

Participants leave with a better understanding of how to tailor their driving environment to their needs, often resulting in improved confidence and peace of mind on the road. CarFit clinics are held nationwide. To find a Florida CarFit event near you, click here.