After years of work and more than $2 billion spent, I-4 Ultimate’s express lanes are finally open and ready to access via Orlando Florida!
The Ultimate’s express process has become a project that has shifted lanes, blocked exits and caused delays for over six years with the promise of making the I-4 commute less of a hassle for the future. We have been waiting patiently for a better road infrastructure connecting to the Orlando area, those days are here. According to the project’s website, drivers can expect; A complete reconstruction of I-4 within the existing right-of-way, 15 major interchanges are undergoing complete reconstruction, 74 bridges are being replaced, 13 bridges are being widened, and 53 new bridges are being added.
But where did this all begin?
The I-4 Ultimate project is the most expensive highway construction project in Florida’s history. To look back at the project’s beginning, you have to go back to the beginning of its construction in 1958, it is no doubt it has come a long way since then. It was a highway system that changed America and helped draw a thousand new residents a day to Florida by the early 80s helping to grow the transport infrastructure that Florida has so strongly pushed in recent years.
The I-4 Express opened to drivers on Saturday, Feb. 26. All eastbound and westbound lanes of I-4 Express opened just before 8 a.m. Come Monday morning, it was observed that the express lanes were busiest near the 408-interchange downtown.
There will be tolls involved … many of us enjoyed toll free driving the first 5 days. After that, tolls will be a set price per segment before moving into the dynamic tolling system. The cost to take the express lanes will vary depending on the number of cars in those lanes and will be based on cameras, sensors, and department of transportation traffic experts monitoring the level of congestion on every given day.
There is no doubt that with a huge improvement in I-4’s foundation we could see an increase in new residents and potential investors in the Orlando area. The capital investment in public transport has been a goal of Florida for some time now, we are finally seeing the seeds of investment blossom, and with this a stronger and ever-growing economy for Florida and the Orlando area.