ORLANDO, Fla. — As the I-4 toll lanes open, drivers need to realize not all roads and ramps will have access to the I-4 toll lanes.

Drivers need to know their options for getting on I-4 express.

“Drivers will have two different options to enter and exit the express lanes,” said FDOT District Traffic Operations Engineer Jim Stroz. “The more common ones are going to be the slip lanes from the general use lanes. There is a second option in the form of direct-connect ramps. And those can be from various surface streets like Central Parkway up in Altamonte Springs, South Street in downtown Orlando, and even Grand National (Drive) in the attractions area.”

Drivers who use roads like Lee Road, Fairbanks Avenue, Princeton Street, Orange Blossom Trail and John Young Parkway to get to I-4 will find that they don’t have easy access to the toll lanes. If you want to skip those areas, you’re in luck.

Traveling on I-4 west

The first slip lane is where the express lanes begin, just before State Road 434 in Longwood.

Slip lanes are left lanes that open up to give you access to and from the toll lanes from the general use or free lanes.

The second way to get on and off the toll lanes is with direct-connect ramps.

The first one on I-4 west is at Central Parkway in Altamonte Springs. For the first time, this road will have direct access to I-4 — but only the toll lanes.

The second slip lane to enter the toll lanes is just after State Road 436.

The first time you can exit the toll lanes and get back into the free lanes of I-4 west is going to be right after Maitland Boulevard. This exit lane will be important for drivers who want to get off at Lee Road, Fairbanks Avenue and then beyond downtown Orlando, at Orange Blossom Trail and John Young Parkway.

Close-by, there’s another slip lane where you can enter I-4 west, before Lee Road. This entrance ramp will be important for Maitland Boulevard drivers.

If you get on I-4 west from Lee Road, Fairbanks Avenue, Par Street or Princeton Street, you won’t be able to enter the toll lanes until after downtown Orlando.

North of Downtown Orlando, from the I-4 west toll lanes, you can directly exit onto Ivanhoe Boulevard.

In downtown Orlando, there’s a direct-connect ramp where you can directly exit off the toll lanes onto South Street, helpful if you have to get to the Amway Center.

You can also use South Street to directly get on the toll lanes. Downtown Orlando drivers will want to use this to head toward the attractions and Tampa.

There also are direct exits from the I-4 toll lanes to both directions of State Road 408.

South of downtown Orlando, there’s a slip lane where you can get from the free lanes into the toll lanes. It’s just after Michigan Street.

Not far away, you can exit the toll lanes just after John Young Parkway. That means if you need to get off at Orange Blossom Trail or JYP, you’re going to have to turn around after you exit the toll lanes.

From those in the I-4 west toll lanes, you can directly exit and head southbound on Florida’s Turnpike.

For Universal Orlando visitors, at Grand National Drive/Kirkman Road there are direct-connect ramps, which means you can get on and off the toll lanes directly from Grand National Drive.

Finally, the I-4 west toll lanes end near Sand Lake Road.

Traveling on I-4 east

I-4 east toll lanes start after Sand Lake Road.

That’s where the first slip lane is located.

The first direct-connect ramps for I-4 east are on Grand National Drive/Kirkman Road. You can exit the toll lanes and get directly on Grand National Drive.

You can also use Grand National Drive to directly travel on the toll lanes.

If you’re on Florida’s Turnpike northbound, you can directly get on the I-4 east toll lanes.

Avoiding downtown Orlando traffic will be made easier if you enter the slip ramp to the toll lanes just before you get to John Young Parkway.

It’s important to know if you use JYP or Orange Blossom Trail and travel on I-4 east, you won’t be able to get on the toll lanes until after downtown Orlando.

The first time you can exit the toll lanes and get back into the free lanes of I-4 east is going to be right before Michigan Street on a slip lane.

In Downtown Orlando, there are direct exits from the I-4 toll lanes to State Road 408.

If you’re on Anderson Street, you can directly enter the toll lanes from this ramp.

If you’re in the toll lanes and want to exit into Downtown Orlando, you can do so at the direct-connect ramp to South Street.

If you’re north of downtown and want to get directly on the I-4 east toll lanes, you can do that from Ivanhoe Boulevard.

Just after Lee Road, you can exit the toll lanes and get back in the free lanes. That means if you want to exit I-4 at Fairbanks Avenue or Lee Road, you’re going to have to get off at Maitland Boulevard and turn around.

Just before Maitland Boulevard, you can use a slip lane to enter the I-4 east toll lanes to skip traffic in Seminole County.

There’s another slip lane to exit the express lanes before State Road 436.

A direct-connect ramp will allow you to exit the toll lanes and get on Central Parkway in Altamonte Springs.

Just after State Road 434, the toll lanes end.

Bottom line, the toll lanes will be helpful if you want to skip busy spots like Lee Road/Fairbanks Avenue, Downtown Orlando, and Orange Blossom Trail/John Young Parkway.

It’s complicated, that’s why FDOT has set up a feature to help you plan your route.

Motorists also can use the interactive map at i4express.com/plan-your-trip to see where to enter and exit I-4 Express based on their destination.