I-4 is the transportation backbone of Central Florida, with the stretch of highway from Kirkman Road to State Road 434 averaging about 175,000 vehicles a day. Ensuring traffic keeps moving will be critical to the success of the I-4 Ultimate project.

During construction, I-4 may continue to be the best option for many drivers. Rest assured, the project team has developed a comprehensive traffic management plan that addresses the complex nature of the construction phase, while minimizing impacts to motorists. The team is also committed to maintaining the same number of lanes that exist today. That means, if you have access to four general use lanes at the Turnpike interchange today, you will continue to have access to four lanes throughout the duration of the project.

To ensure that motorists can get where they need to go — whether it’s to work, a shopping destination or a local attraction — lane closures will be limited to mostly nighttime hours, beginning as early as 8:30 p.m. and continuing as late as 7 a.m. Work may also require ramp closures for extended periods. However, consecutive ramps may not be closed at the same time, and detours will be provided.

The project team is required to provide a 28-day notification for full ramp and road closures, as well as long-term closures lasting more than 24 hours. Drivers will receive a 14-day notice for non-long-term lane closures on the interstate.

“I-4 Ultimate is a very complex project, but the Florida Department of Transportation, the concessionaire, the contractors and everyone involved are very experienced in maintaining traffic flow,” says Mike Gwynne, P.E., the I-4 Ultimate resident engineer. “Mobility is a top priority, and the concessionaire has committed to keeping I-4 open during the day.”

Additional project information, including a full list of lane and ramp closures, will be posted on i4Ultimate.com. Now is the time to proactively sign up for project newsletters and personalized alerts so you can make informed decisions about when and where to travel.

I-4 Ultimate will create thousands of jobs in Central Florida. This video series explores the wide variety of people and expertise needed to build a better I-4. In this month’s installment, I-4 Ultimate Resident Engineer Mike Gwynne, P.E., discusses how construction is a family affair. With his father being a contractor, it meant the family traveled around, mainly overseas, from project to project. The I-4 Ultimate project is a return to earlier in his career when Mike was involved in the interim I-4 project.

Look beyond the simple fact that the I-4 Ultimate project will provide Central Florida’s major transportation artery a new lease on life. The major theme of this $2.3 billion investment is securing a sustainable economy for Central Florida well into the latter stages of the 21^st century.

“From the minute the ink dried on the contract, Central Florida’s positive economic outlook changed dramatically,” said Jon Walker, I-4 Ultimate project manager. “I-4 is commonly referred to as the backbone of Central Florida’s transportation network. A better description is it’s the economic engine for thousands and thousands of jobs.”

From tourists visiting the region’s world-class theme parks to the groceries a Winter Park family purchases in the local supermarket, I-4 directly and indirectly impacts just about every industry in Central Florida. Efficient movement of goods, convenient mobility of the labor force and access to the communities and businesses that make Central Florida a renowned place to live, work and play are features of what the I-4 Ultimate project will secure for Central Florida’s future.

In addition to a brighter future for Central Florida’s economy, the large investment is paying immediate dividends for the local job market. With more than 300 designers working on the project full time right now, the injection of high-paying jobs has an amazing ripple effect throughout the community.

“The direct impact of new jobs and investments causes spending in the community to increase, which in turn creates additional rounds of job creation in the service and retail industries,” said Mike Gwynne, P.E., I-4 Ultimate resident engineer. “The region is getting a new I-4, but the construction process is only going to accelerate the state’s economic recovery.”