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MARCH 2016

WB S.R. 408 Entrance Ramp in Downtown Relocating

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The westbound State Road (S.R.) 408 entrance ramp from Orange Avenue/Lucerne Circle is being temporarily relocated to Division Avenue, just south of Anderson Street.

The ramp relocation is scheduled to occur overnight on Thursday, March 17, and be ready for the morning commute on Friday. Relocating the ramp creates room for reconstruction of the Interstate 4 (I-4)/S.R. 408 interchange. The recommended detour to the new temporary ramp located on Division Avenue is to use South Street or Gore Street. For a detailed detour map, log on to I4Ultimate.com/SR408.

Work on the Interstate 4 (I-4)/S.R. 408 interchange started from the project onset. Much of the construction activity has been taking place at nearby bridges over Westmoreland Drive, Orange Blossom Trail and Tampa Avenue. The new temporary ramp is one of the first major impacts to S.R. 408 motorists.

The Florida Department of Transportation is coordinating with the City of Orlando and Central Florida Expressway Authority to ensure motorists are aware of the upcoming westbound S.R. 408 on-ramp relocation. The project team is distributing hundreds of informational mailers to remind residents and businesses and is placing detour signs and variable message boards in the area.


Rolling Roadblocks on WB I-4 for Bridge Construction

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The I-4 Ultimate project is implementing a series of nighttime rolling roadblocks this month on westbound Interstate 4 (I-4) to safely install steel girders for a new northbound Kirkman Road bridge over I-4.

Over the course of five nights, a crane will place steel beams on newly constructed piers. Earlier this month the huge girders were delivered to the construction site. The biggest is 130 feet long, seven feet wide and weighs about 160 tons.

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The rolling roadblocks are necessary for the safety of the motoring public. By slowing traffic to about 20 mph at the Par Street interchange, it will give crews approximately 30 minutes to swing a beam into place over westbound I-4 and secure it to the piers before the slowed traffic behind the rolling roadblock reaches the work area. Two rolling roadblocks are scheduled for each night between the hours of 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.

To ensure no vehicles jump ahead of the rolling roadblock, all 13 westbound I-4 entrances between the Par Street and Kirkman Road interchanges will be temporarily blocked by law enforcement officers. As the law enforcement pace car passes an interchange, its westbound I-4 entrance ramp will be reopened allowing motorists to enter and join the slow roll toward Kirkman Road. Public safety vehicles (law enforcement, fire rescue, etc.) are permitted to skip past the rolling roadblock to respond to an emergency call.

For real-time traffic information on I-4, including up-to-date progress on westbound I-4 rolling roadblocks, stay tuned to the Florida Department of Transportation’s 511 Traveler Information System. There are five convenient ways for all motorists to receive traffic updates:

  • Call 511 toll free for updates in English and Spanish.
  • Visit FL511.com for interactive roadway maps showing traffic congestion and crashes, travel times and traffic camera views.
  • Sign up for a “My Florida 511” account at FL511.com to create custom routes and register for email, text or phone alerts.
  • Download the free Florida 511 mobile app available on Google Play or Apple App Store.
  • Follow one of the statewide, regional or roadway-specific Twitter feeds (#FL511), including @I4Ultimate.


Garland Avenue Closes North of Colonial Drive

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At the beginning of this month, Garland Avenue between Colonial Drive and Marks Street closed for about 14 months.

The long-term closure provides space for crews to relocate utilities, install drainage and dry ponds, realign Garland Avenue, and reconstruct the SR 50 interchange including a new eastbound I-4 entrance ramp from State Road 50.

The closure may affect those who use Garland Avenue from Legion Place or Orange Avenue. For drivers traveling southbound from Legion Place or Orange Avenue, instead of turning right onto Garland Avenue, continue through Orange Avenue to Colonial Drive.

For drivers traveling northbound on Garland Avenue, you may take a right on Amelia Street or Colonial Drive and then turn left onto Magnolia Avenue to arrive at Orange Avenue.

For more information about the continuous closure on Garland Avenue visit i4ultimate.com/garland. Sign up to receive I-4 Ultimate construction alerts by email or text at i4ultimate.com.


Kaley Ave Closing Nightly Under I-4

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At the end of this month, motorists can expect to see nighttime closures of Kaley Avenue under Interstate 4 (I-4) for about a month.

The closure will be from 10 p.m. each night until 6 a.m. The closure will not occur on Friday nights, any time on Saturday or during the day on Sundays. This closure is necessary for bridge work to improve the I-4/Kaley Avenue interchange. The detour for this closure is Michigan Street (view the detour map).

When completed, the I-4 Ultimate project will combine the two interchanges of Kaley Avenue and Michigan Street with braided ramps, frontage roads and free-flowing Texas U-turns to improve safety and enhance mobility.

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 information about the nightly closure on Kaley Avenue under I-4 visit i4ultimate.com. Sign up to receive I-4 Ultimate construction alerts by email or text at i4ultimate.com.


Employee Spotlight: Tamara Monroe

TAMARA MONROE
Skilled Labor
Resident of DeLand

As Tamara Monroe learns to handle the high-tech survey equipment used on the I-4 Ultimate project, she also keeps an eye trained on the new career horizons opening for her in a field she could not have imagined four years ago.

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“I want to learn everything I can,” Monroe said of the construction trades. “And go as far as I can.”

In 2012, the single mother of six was working two jobs – as a restaurant server and convenience store clerk – to help support her family when her sister, who was already working in construction, convinced her to apply for a similar job. She loved it.

Monroe never hesitated about going into a male-dominated field, although her two 20-something sons told her they never imagined their mom out in the heat working construction. She replied, “I didn’t either, but that’s what I’m doing.”

She never looked back on her two part-time, indoor jobs. “Nothing out here intimidates me,” Monroe said. “There’s always a challenge out there.”

Having already learned to operate soil compactors and asphalt rollers while working with Lane Construction (one of the partners in SGL – the design-build joint venture of the I-4 Ultimate project), Monroe has continued to add to her skills while working for SGL on the project to rebuild 21 miles of Interstate 4 (I-4).

From managing truck traffic in the borrow pits to operating heavy equipment such as rollers and dump trucks to training with digital surveying equipment, she loves the work. Some hot summer afternoons can be demanding, but the more predictable work hours allow her to spend quality time with her family.

Indeed, Monroe now tells other women about the building trades. After overhearing a female store clerk complain about a job situation, she leaned over the counter and passed along some hard-earned advice.

“I told her, “Construction.’ Maybe they don’t think about it, but they should not be intimidated by the word,” Monroe said. “It’s not a man’s job. It’s your mindset. If you think you can, then you can.”


Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Jennifer Smith, FDOT Title VI Coordinator by phone at (386) 943-5367, or via email at jennifer.smith2@dot.state.fl.us. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).