LONGWOOD, Fla. – As construction continues on the I-4 Ultimate project, a 21-mile overhaul of the interstate through Central Florida, another new exit will emerge Friday.
The westbound I-4 exit ramp to State Road 434 in Longwood will shift to a permanent configuration as soon as Friday, officials said.
The ramp ends at a new traffic signal, with two turn lanes onto eastbound and westbound S.R. 434.
“The new, longer and wider ramp provides additional space for vehicles and reduces backups on I-4,” according to a tweet from the project.
The existing ramp to S.R. 434 will close.
New exit alert! The WB I-4 exit ramp to S.R. 434 will shift to a new, permanent configuration as soon as Friday, December 20. The new, longer and wider ramp provides additional space for vehicles, and reduces backups on I-4. See map below and more info: https://t.co/SuhTDJPwdj pic.twitter.com/Xm7OXJ1qMg
— I-4 Ultimate and Beyond (@I4Ultimate) December 19, 2019
Robert Hawkins said he drives this stretch of I-4 every day. He tells News 6 this area can get congested when the exit ramp backs up onto the highway.
"It backs up for a mile because there's nowhere, they've got concrete barriers. So even after you're in the exit, it's backed up for half a mile," Hawkins said.
Troopers told News 6 they responded to at least 15 crashes in this area since December 10.
Driver Bruce Tustin said he is hopeful the new ramp will reduce congestion.
“If we can just get a little bit of relief, even if they don’t make it worse but long term it’s better, we’ll take it,” Tustin said.
Earlier this week, as many as 30 vehicles were damaged by a large pothole on I-4 west near S.R. 434 that formed during a rainstorm.