OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Maybe driving on Interstate 4 in Osceola County will now be less of a pain. Maybe.
The Florida Department of Transportation on Wednesday opened a new auxiliary lane on westbound I-4 between State Road 429 and County Road 532.
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An auxiliary lane is an extra lane connecting the on and off ramps between two consecutive interchanges. The additional lane allows drivers wanting to merge onto the interstate a longer distance to do so and helps reduce bottlenecks caused by drivers attempting to enter or exit the interstate.
FDOT said the lane should increase capacity and improve traffic flow in the area.
The auxiliary lane – an interim project of FDOT’s I-4 Beyond the Ultimate program – also includes the construction of an auxiliary lane on eastbound I-4 between the ramps of C.R. 532 and S.R. 429, as well as an auxiliary lane on northbound S.R. 429 between I-4 and Sinclair Road. The eastbound I-4 auxiliary lane opened in May.
The goal of the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate program is to improve safety, mobility and connectivity in Central Florida to the east and west of the I-4 Ultimate project, officials said.
I-4 Beyond the Ultimate stretches into Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties.
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