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.