Crews working to repair I-4 after lane washes out

If you're traveling along Interstate 4 through Downtown Orlando on Friday, allow for more time.

An eastbound lane is blocked-off, as crews make repairs to the roadway, due to a washout.  It caused major headaches for commuters on Thursday.

"It’s obnoxious, I hate it!" says driver Tyler Griffin. "It gets muddy, starts flooding, everyone slows down, water, puddles flying everywhere."

Tim McClelland agrees, saying "It’s annoying. It makes the commute very difficult."

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) says the rainy weather on Wednesday caused an underground drainage pipe to fail. It resulted in water, mud and materials to wash on a travel lane.

FDOT says the contractor dug up a portion of the road to make repairs to the drainage system under the pavement.

"It’s flooding pretty much all over this area," Grifins explains.

That’s why FDOT is demanding further action, including the inspection of other areas along the corridor that have the same configuration.  Drivers say they need to be more careful as they close lanes.

"They’re not informing you to lane changes. It seems like they’re getting a little bit sloppier as they try to get the job done quicker," McClelland says.

So as drivers are stuck in traffic, they hope to get a break with better signage and safer lane changes. An FDOT spokesperson says safety is paramount, and that is being communicated to SGL, the contractor for the job.

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