The improvements coming to the Interstate 4 (I-4) and Apopka-Vineland Road (State Road (S.R.) 535) interchange are not just for vehicles, but also for pedestrians.

As this vital Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project progresses, crews will reconstruct the sidewalk along northbound Apopka-Vineland Road. This includes new cement walkways, newly striped crosswalks, and new post-mounted pedestrian signals.

The new signals will help pedestrian traffic to safely cross the roadway at the base of the westbound I-4 ramps and the entrance to the new loop ramp currently under construction. The pedestrian route will remain the same, but pedestrians will be able to utilize new walking surfaces once the project is completed.

As crews continue to construct two new bridges alongside I-4 over Apopka-Vineland Road, the sidewalk along northbound Apopka-Vineland Road will eventually be closed temporarily for the safety of pedestrians in the area. This temporary closure will provide crews with the room they need to safely work on the bridges overhead. To maintain pedestrian access across the interchange, crews have constructed a temporary pedestrian walkway along southbound Apopka-Vineland Road and will shift all pedestrian traffic to this walkway during the temporary closure of the north sidewalk.

The new loop ramp 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 and head west. This new loop ramp will increase traffic efficiency and safety at the interchange by eliminating a left-turn phase.

To stay up to date with project progress, visit I4Beyond.com/SR535.

If you’ve driven along Interstate 4 (I-4) near Sand Lake Road (State Road (S.R.) 482) lately, you’ve probably noticed a lot of activity in the median. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continues to work on improvements to the vital I-4 and Sand Lake Road interchange, and this work in the middle of I-4 is an important part of overall project progress.

On the north side of the interchange, crews are excavating the soil in the median to transform that area into a new driving surface for an extension of westbound I-4 Express. Crews are also grading areas that have already been excavated to prepare for barrier wall installation. On both sides of the interchange, crews are placing new embankments along the inside of I-4 in preparation for eventual roadway and paving work.

The project construction team demolished an I-4 bridge at the interchange earlier this year, making room for a new bridge currently under construction. Crews are building the base structure for the new bridge by driving steel piles along Sand Lake Road. Once installed, these piles will serve as a sturdy foundation for the new bridge.

This work will ultimately accommodate the extension of I-4 Express. Crews are constructing two barrier-separated westbound I-4 Express lanes from the existing endpoint near Kirkman Road to west of Sand Lake Road. These lanes, like the rest of I-4 Express, will be in between the eastbound and westbound I-4 general use lanes.

The new 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 I-4 Express extension will be constructed as part of three separate projects, with the finished lane stretching from near Kirkman Road to west of S.R. 536.

To stay up to date with project progress, visit I4Beyond.com/SandLake.

Crews at the Interstate 4 (I-4) and State Road (S.R.) 528 (Beachline Expressway) ramp-widening project have recently carried out traffic shifts ahead of paving work for a new inside lane at the westbound I-4 exit ramp to eastbound S.R. 528.

In mid-October, crews laid down limerock and asphalt and continued widening the bridge in preparation for paving work to be done at a later date. At the end of October, more limerock and asphalt were installed, along with a new guardrail in the median. Crews also shifted traffic back to the outside lane on the ramp. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) implemented nightly lane closures on the ramp to give crews space to safely complete the work.

In the coming months, crews will work toward completing the widening of the ramp bridge. A few more traffic shifts are expected to facilitate the safe completion of the work.

These traffic shifts are critical aspects of the project, which is expected to improve traffic flow from westbound I-4 onto eastbound S.R. 528. With two lanes instead of one connecting these two major Central Florida highways, the new configuration will allow approximately twice the number of vehicles to travel over the ramp in the same amount of time.

The project began in January 2024 and is anticipated to reach completion in 2026.

For more information, visit the project website at I4Beyond.com/SR528.

When you’re on the road, you hope everyone around you chooses to drive safely, but at the end of the day, the only person you can control is yourself. The best choice you can make is to buckle up when driving and ensure your passengers do the same.

Seat belts help prevent drivers and passengers from being dangerously ejected from their vehicles. Despite seat belts decreasing the risk of serious injury or death by nearly 50%, people still choose to leave their seat belts unbuckled.

Though this is a year-round concern, the holiday season from mid-November through New Year's Day amplifies the need for safety reminders. To kick off this effort, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recognizes November 14 as National Seat Belt Day, followed up with a week-long seat belt campaign from November 22-30. During this time, FDOT’s aim is to remind all Florida drivers, front-seat passengers, and passengers under the age of 18 that it is the law to wear a seat belt. Not only can seat belts save your life, but buckling up can also prevent you from getting a ticket.

Between now and the new year, there will be a significant increase in the number of vehicles on the road. Many people have time off school or work and travel to visit friends and family during the holidays. With more vehicles on the road, the statistical risk of crashes increases. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2023, there were 309 passenger-vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation, and 44% (135) were unrestrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Seat belts should be worn snugly across the lap and chest — two parts of your body better able to withstand the force of a crash. Never place the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arms, and make sure the belt does not rest against your neck. Children should be in the right car seat for their age and size. Choose to control what you can and buckle up. Every trip, every time.

Learn more about seat belt safety at fdot.gov/agencyresources/clickitorticket.