ORLANDO, Fla. — Motorists traveling in downtown Orlando should know of a couple of major traffic pattern changes starting Sunday related to the "I-4 Ultimate" project.
- I-4 eastbound on-ramp set to open after months' delay
- Ramp was closed after cracks found in bridge in April
- Eastbound Colonial Drive also set to close overnight for 2 weeks
The first is a big step forward for the project: the opening of an eastbound I-4 on-ramp from Garland Avenue at Amelia Street.
The ramp is scheduled to open Monday morning after months of significant repairs and safety testing. In spring of last year, crews found cracks in the bridge over Colonial Drive.
The opening of the on-ramp is a change Derrick Gogul, who uses I-4 daily, is looking forward to.
"The I-4 construction has been terrible with traffic, and morning traffic trying to get to work," Gogul said. "It's going to be nice when that opens up."
On Monday, drivers will have to shift from left lane access to the right lane. The bridge goes over Colonial Drive, putting drivers onto eastbound I-4 via a temporary ramp system that runs adjacent to the interstate. Drivers will be dropped onto eastbound I-4 just beyond Princeton Street.
The new on-ramp will allow for other construction and demolition along I-4 through the downtown corridor and at the same time keep traffic moving at a steady pace.
To access the new on-ramp, motorists must be in the right lane on Garland Avenue. The old on-ramp accessed I-4 from the left.
Gogul says he's anticipating a bit of confusion as people get used to how the new on-ramp works.
"At first, until everybody figures it out, it's going to be congestion probably in the mornings, but after everybody figures it out and gets used to it, it's probably going to be really nice," Gogul said.
The second is a closure of part of Colonial Drive, near Interstate 4, nightly for two weeks.
The eastbound lanes between Garland and Orange avenues will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning as soon as Sunday for underground utility work, I-4 Ultimate officials say. The westbound lanes will remain open.
A detour will be marked that will take eastbound motorists south on Hughey Avenue, east on Amelia Street and then north on Magnolia Avenue back to eastbound Colonial Drive.
Eastbound Colonial Drive detour
