Traffic shifted on busy stretch of I-4 in Orange County near theme parks until 2024, FDOT says

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Traffic on a major stretch of Interstate-4 in Orange County has shifted to make way for construction crews to complete work as part of a planned Florida Department of Transportation project near SeaWorld Orlando. 

Starting at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, traffic will be shifted about 12 feet toward the westbound I-4 median on a newly constructed and temporary part of roadway between Central Florida Parkway and Daryl Carter Parkway, according to FDOT. This traffic shift will remain in place until spring 2024. 

Crews in the area will be completing drainage and lighting work. 

Drivers are urged to follow all posted signs in the area while construction is underway. 

The traffic change is part of FDOT's planned improvements on the I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway project, an interim project of I-4 Beyond the Ultimate. The goal is to transform the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass into an interchange, "providing additional access to local attractions and helping to relieve congestion at the I-4 and Apopka Vineland Road (State Road (S.R.) 535) interchange," FDOT said. 

The project plans to add three new ramps connecting I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway:

• Exit ramps from both direction of I-4 to Daryl Carter Parkway
• Entrance ramp to eastbound I-4 (westbound I-4 entrance ramp will be built as part of a future project)
• Convert the existing Daryl Carter Parkway overpass to a diverging diamond interchange

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"The project also includes I-4 improvements from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of Central Florida Parkway. Construction is underway of a single, buffer-separated, managed lane from west of Daryl Carter Parkway to west of Central Florida Parkway," FDOT said. "This managed lane will be constructed in three separate projects with the finished lane extending from west of Sand Lake Road to west of S.R. 536."

The project, which kicked off in November 2022, is expected to be complete by early 2026.