ORLANDO, Fla. — Tenants at the one-time popular Crossroads near Walt Disney World now have until the end of August before they have to leave.

What You Need To Know

  • FDOT will begin demolishing Crossroads Plaza August

  • FDOT is turning the area into a new I-4 interchange for SR 535

  • Interchange meant to improve traffic flow to Disney Springs, nearby outlets

Since the Florida Dept. of Transportation announced it was taking over the land for a new interchange between I-4 and State Road 535, several businesses have left.

“This is a pillar certainly in this area. I remember coming here in high school and shopping and go to Footlocker,” said Ben Richardson, the Chief Operating Officer of Flippers Pizzeria.

While Flippers is still open, next door Gooding's Supermarket, the anchor of the Crossroads for decades, has shut its doors.

Using eminent domain, FDOT is taking over the land after a judge ruled they’ve got to pay $198 million.

“A lot of people are trying to get off at that same exit so it backs up and disturbs the mainline of I-4. So there will be improvements for that whole reconstruction of that interchange,” said Jessica Ottaviano, an FDOT spokesperson.

Not only a new interchange, but there will also be flyover-type ramps that’ll give I-4 drivers direct access to both Disney Springs and the outlet mall.

A rendering from FDOT shows what the new I-4 interchange would look like, on Crossroads property.
A rendering from FDOT shows what the new I-4 interchange would look like, on Crossroads property.

FDOT says there are 75,000 cars that travel SR 5 every day, and 224,000 daily trips on that segment of I-4.

Richardson certainly knows there’s a need.

“It can be challenging sometimes, you have to add 10-15 minutes of delivery time just to deal with the traffic here on 535,” Richardson said.

Richardson says Flippers is satisfied with the deal they got from FDOT. It’s allowing them to open up a new restaurant not too far away in a planned development called O-Town West.

“We’re proud to say we feel like we’re going to be in a good position coming out of this, in a maybe even better area than this was in its heyday,” he said.

The new interchange at I-4 and State Road 535 is part of I-4 Beyond the Ultimate.

The project is still in design and right of way phases.

Demolition will begin at the Crossroads once the tenants have left at the end of August.