ORLANDO, Fla. – Drivers who travel on I-4 have probably noticed changes throughout the 'I-4 Ultimate' stretch. The pace is about to pick up even more as things ramp up through downtown Orlando.
"I-4 Ultimate has officially reached the peak of production for construction here in Central Florida,” Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Jessica Ottaviano said. “That means we're really ramping up construction and we're at the highest peak of construction during this project."
More work means more changes that could impact drivers.
"What people can start anticipate seeing is a lot more construction,” Ottaviano said. “And this means lane shifts, lane closures, things like that but much of this work is done overnight."
The hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. are traditionally when the most construction occurs. I-4 drivers can also expect updates to the interstate to become more obvious.
"There's a lot of visual differences that people are starting to see in the downtown area,” Ottaviano said. “One is near the Garland area."
Garland Avenue near Ivanhoe Boulevard has been closed for months to make room for the new State Road 50 interchange.
The Garland closure allowed for the important step of re-aligning the road. Right now, work is underway to expand I-4 nearby. All of this construction, closures and detours will ultimately lead to a new look and increased functionality for Garland Avenue.
"Eventually Garland will be somewhat under I-4 rather than parallel next to it like it is today."