Category Archives: RoadNews

RoadNews

Lane Closures on I-4 Ramps to I-75 in Tampa

The Florida Department of Transportation reports the following I-4 construction and maintenance activities in the Tampa bay area thru Saturday, February 3, 2018

  • Tampa – One to two lanes may be closed on northbound I-75 from I-4 (Exit 261) to the Tampa Bypass Canal (south of Fowler Avenue/Exit 265) between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday (January 28 – February 1) nights.
  • Tampa – One lane may be closed and controlled by flagging operations on Sligh Avenue under the I-4/I-75 interchange area any time of the day Monday through Saturday (January 29 – February 3).

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

I-4 Ramps to I-75 to Close Sunday Night

The Florida Department of Transportation reports that the westbound I-4 Exit 9 ramp onto northbound I-75 will be closed between 9:00 p.m. Sunday (January 14) and 6:00 a.m. Monday (January 15).

DETOUR: Bear left at the ramp split to go south on I-75, use Exit 260 to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard/SR 574, turn left at the top of the ramp and go east on SR 574 over I-75, then turn left and enter northbound I-75.

Additionally, one to two lanes may be closed on northbound I-75 from I-4 (Exit 261) to the Tampa Bypass Canal (south of Fowler Avenue/Exit 265) between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday (January 14 -18) nights.

 

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

Looking For an Alternate Route Around Orlando’s I-4 Construction?

The ongoing construction of Interstate 4 through the heart of Orlando can be a headache for daily travelers and a real vacation killer for travelers heading through the area. Thankfully, there is an alternate route around the entire project area.

If you don’t mind paying a toll (who wouldn’t after sitting in stopped traffic for hours), Florida’s Route 417 can be liberating.

Approaching Orlando from the east (I-95, Daytona) FL 417 begins it’s journey at I-4, exit 101 in Sanford and winds it’s way southward around the Orlando metro area where it reconnects with I-4, exit 64 in Celebration.

While you can’t say that FL 417 is a nice country drive, it is generally a more rural route with far less traffic than Interstate 4.

What’s the trade-off you ask? Well, FL 417 is about 10 miles (10 minutes) longer… that’s if I-4 is not bogged down, which it often is. So most of the time it ends up being quicker. A word of caution… FL 417 is a toll road and, if you travel the entire distance you’ll rack up about $8.25 in tolls (about a dollar less with E-Pass). Most travelers say it’s a small price to pay to avoid the construction mess on I-4 when you’re on vacation.

Here’s a map showing the route:

FL 417 Around Orlando | I-4 Exit Guide
Click map to enlarge

Of course if you’re passing through Orlando in the middle of the night or early in the morning, I-4 is probably your best choice.

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

I-4 Off-Ramp to Change from Left Exit to Right on Friday Morning

A traffic shift of eastbound Interstate 4 (I-4) between Sand Lake Road (S.R. 482) and Grand National Drive opens the morning of Friday, December 22, allowing motorists to exit I-4 to northbound Kirkman Road (S.R. 435) on the right, not the left.

The traffic shift will move the eastbound I-4 lanes, between Sand Lake Road and Grand National Drive, adjacent to the westbound I-4 travel lanes. The most noticeable difference for motorists will be Exit 75B to northbound Kirkman Road moves to the right side of the I-4. The exit to Universal Boulevard (Exit 75A) remains in the same location.

Progress around the I-4 and Kirkman Road interchange this year has been significant. The new Grand National Drive overpass opened to motorists in early August. The new westbound I-4 exit ramp to southbound Kirkman Road was ready for use in October, and the southbound Kirkman Road bridge over I-4 opened in March.

Modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving through the work zone.

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

I-4 Ultimate Project Limits Closures for Holidays

The Florida Department of Transportation reports that nighttime lane, ramp and road closures on the I-4 Ultimate project will scale down during the winter holidays.

The majority of construction closures on the interstate will be suspended from Midnight Saturday, December 24, until the morning of Tuesday, January 2. The I-4 Ultimate project, which extends 21 miles from west of Kirkman Road to east of State Road 434, will be open to holiday traffic; however, motorists should expect the following late-night closures:

  • On December 26–31, nightly closures of John Young Parkway (S.R. 423) under I-4 beginning each night at 11:30 p.m. and ending at 5:30 a.m. Access to all I-4 ramps at the interchange will remain open during the nighttime closure.
  • On December 27–30, nightly closures of Division Avenue from Gore Street to Anderson Street beginning each night at 10 p.m. and ending at 5 a.m. The westbound S.R. 408 on-ramp from Division Avenue will remain open during the nighttime closure. Motorists can access the ramp from Anderson Street.
  • Single lane closures after 11 p.m. on the eastbound Interstate 4 (I-4) exit and entrance ramps at State Road (S.R.) 436.
  • Right lane closures after 11 p.m. on eastbound and westbound S.R. 436 from the I-4 interchange to Northlake Boulevard.
  • Additional nighttime lane closures may be required on local roads near the I-4/S.R. 436 interchange, including Central Parkway, Douglas Avenue, Westmonte Drive and Wymore Road.

Although the majority of regularly scheduled I-4 Ultimate construction closures are not occurring over the holidays, existing work zones will remain in effect and crews will continue to maintain travel lanes and conduct routine maintenance. Maintenance work often requires nighttime lane closures, such as work on December 27-20 from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. to replace reflective pavement markings on eastbound and westbound I-4 from Conroy Road to Ivanhoe Boulevard.

Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through work zones around barricades and equipment. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) encourages drivers to plan for additional travel time during the holidays. Drivers are urged to make sure they buckle up, along with their passengers. FDOT and other safety agencies also ask drivers to obey speed limits, get adequate rest before traveling, avoid distractions and never drink and drive.

FDOT advises drivers to slow down in construction zones; the life you save may be your own.

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

AAA Holiday Travel Headache Hotspots

INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, in collaboration with the American Automobile Association (AAA), reports that based on historical and recent travel trends, they expect drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion before the holiday week – on Wednesday, December 20 and Thursday, December 21 – in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers. For example, drivers in New York City could see travel times peak at three times a normal trip between 3:30 and 5:30pm.

“With record-level travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in major metros,” says Dr. Graham Cookson, chief economist & head of research at INRIX. “Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak times altogether or consider alternative routes.”

Here are the worst days and times to travel…

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

Record-Breaking 107 Million Americans to Celebrate Holidays Away From Home

‘Tis the season to traditionally spend with family and friends and this year Americans are traveling in record numbers. AAA forecasts 107.3 million Americans will take to planes, trains, automobiles and other modes of transportation during the year-end holiday period from Saturday, December 23 through Monday, January 1. This will be the highest year-end travel volume on record and a 3.1 percent increase in travel volume compared with last year. 2017 marks the ninth consecutive year of rising year-end holiday travel. Since 2005, total year-end holiday travel volume has grown by 21.6 million, an increase of more than 25 percent.

read more…

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

I-4 Off-Ramp to Michigan Street in Orlando Now Nearly a Mile Sooner

The Florida Department of Transportation reports that the westbound Interstate 4 exit ramp to Michigan Street will shift nearly one mile sooner the morning of December 12.

Traffic will exit westbound I-4 via a new lengthened ramp on the right. The ramp is connected to the existing westbound I-4 entrance ramp from Gore Street and State Road (S.R.) 408. Motorists seeking to enter westbound I-4 should prepare to merge with traffic to avoid continuing to the ramp to Michigan Street. The westbound I-4 entrance ramp from Kaley Avenue is unaffected by this ramp shift.

Modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving through the work zone.

For more I-4 construction information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

On The Road for Christmas? Here Where to Eat Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2017

Not all of us will be home for Christmas, or comfortably seated with friends and family for a Christmas feast… some of us will be on the road.

Travelers looking for a holiday meal can find it quite difficult. You’re tired and hungry so you jump of an exit only to find that every restaurant is closed.

An increasing number of chain restaurants are choosing to remain open during the holidays, or at least opening for limited hours to meet customer demand.

Here’s out list of chain restaurants open for business on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2017.

read more…

For more I-4 travel information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.

RoadNews

New Lighting and Signage Work Along I-4 to Begin in December

The Florida Department of Transportation will be installing lighting and new highway signs at several interchanges along I-4. The lighting will be installed along the main travel lanes and ramps, and will include both standard light poles and the taller high-mast poles.

The locations along I-4 included within this project are:

  • I-4 at U.S. 17/92 (Exit 104)
  • I-4 at Dirksen Drive (Exit 108)
  • I-4 at S.R. 472 (Exit 114)
  • I-4 at Orange Camp Road (Exit 116)
  • I-4 at S.R. 44 (Exit 118)
  • I-4 at the U.S. 92 ramp

Contractor Chinchor Electric Inc. expects to begin construction in mid-December and finish by summer 2020. The improvements on this project are being completed under two separate contracts with a combined construction cost of approximately $12.3 million.

Impacts to Motorists:

The improvements are occurring outside of the travel lanes. However, motorists can expect nighttime lane closures along I-4 as well as occasional ramp closures with detours to accommodate construction of the bases and installation of the poles. Electronic message boards will be placed in advance to alert motorists of any upcoming closures.

For more I-4 construction information, visit www.i4exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to Interstate 4. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Tampa to Daytona!

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-95 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide, I-10 Exit Guide and I-75 Exit Guide.