I-4 Ultimate
 

March 2018

 
IN THIS UPDATE
* Nighttime Closures on I-4 and Central Parkway Scheduled for March 26–28
* Ramp Structures Under Construction at I-4/S.R. 408 Interchange
* New I-4 Construction Alert Map Unveiled
* National Work Zone Awareness Week Urges Motorists to Drive Safely
* For Father, Daughter and Son,
Working on I-4 Project is the Ultimate Family Affair
* During Spring Break, Use Extra Caution on I-4 in Orlando
 
 
 

Nighttime Closures on I-4 and Central Parkway Scheduled for March 26–28

 

Both directions of Interstate 4 (I-4) under Central Parkway are temporarily closing for one night each on March 26 and 27 for nearby construction activity.

  • Eastbound I-4 closes at 10 p.m. on Monday, March 26, and concludes at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, March 27.
  • Westbound I-4 closes at 10 p.m. on March 27, and concludes at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28.
  • Central Parkway over I-4 will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. both nights to support the operation.

The detours use Douglas Avenue, Montgomery Road, State Roads (S.R.) 436 and 434. To view or download a handout detailing these closures and corresponding detours, please visit https://fdot.tips/2FZ0Cnh

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.

 
 
 
 

Ramp Structures Under Construction at I-4/S.R. 408 Interchange

 

Visual evidence of progress at the Interstate 4 (I-4) and State Road (S.R.) 408 interchange is becoming clearer with each passing week.

In the past month, girders for several new sections of one flyover ramp have been set in place. The first flyover motorists will notice taking shape is a portion of the flyover ramp from eastbound and westbound I-4 to westbound S.R. 408.

To place the girders, road and ramp closures are often needed. The intersection of Division Avenue and Anderson Street is intermittently closing during the weekend of March 24. The intersection will be closed from:

  • 11:30 p.m. on March 24 until 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 25; and
  • 4:30 p.m. on March 25, until 6 a.m. on Monday, March 26.

A detour map for the intersection closures is available to view or download at fdot.tips/division. Stay up to date to on nightly closures near the I-4 and S.R. 408 interchange by subscribing to the I-4 Ultimate project advance construction alert system, Twitter feed or website newsfeed at https://i4ultimate.com/signup.

 
 
 
 

New I-4 Construction Alert Map Unveiled

 

Even as the I-4 Ultimate construction alerts map was getting a makeover, the I-4 team was sending out its 10,000th alert since April 2015. Both the map and the alerts system were created to inform the public of the road closures and traffic shifts needed to maintain safety while crews work to improve the highway.

The alerts system continues without disruption, but it’s now supported by an easy-to-access, highly informative map of construction alerts and traffic information..

You’ll find many new and user-friendly features on the updated map page. However, it’s so rich in helpful features that we don’t want you to miss some of the many options.

Here is a guide to some of the new tools that give map viewers an easy way to find construction alerts in the geographical areas of their choice. The map also lets users gain a quick sense of current traffic conditions through incident markers, and live cameras.

If you don’t have a direct link to the alerts map, just go to the I-4 Ultimate home page, i4Ultimate.com, and click on the big orange box titled Construction Map & Info. You will likely be greeted by a pop-up box that says: “Choose between all scheduled construction alerts or overnight road closures (updated at approximately 7 p.m. each night).”

You also will have the ability (through the settings box in the upper right corner and the navigation guide in the upper left) to specify the locations you want to know about and the precise information you want to see.

The Settings Box in the upper right corner of the screen offers several choices, including the ability to:

  • Display the screen as a road map or as a satellite image.
  • Show the four official areas of the I-4 Ultimate project and see their color-coded segments on the map.
  • Pick mapping options to include traffic information such as red lines to indicate slow traffic and incident markers with links to more information. (Note: Red lines that signify slow traffic show up only on the road-map version.)

 The Navigation Guide on the upper left portion of the screen offers five informative options:

  • Future I-4 – Click on the red box to see a list of all interchanges undergoing construction during the I-4 Ultimate project. Then click on any interchange to see maps and artist renderings of what the completed interchanges will look like.
  • Construction Alerts – Click on the orange box to see a list of road and ramp closures with links to maps and detours. Helpful features include
    • A pop-up box will allow you to choose between all construction alerts or narrow it down to overnight road closures. That list is updated every evening around 7 p.m.
    • Clicking on an alert from the list on the left side of the screen automatically moves the cursor to the associated spot on the map
    • Similarly, clicking on an alert symbol on the map will highlight the corresponding alert in the list on the left and will bring up an information window with more details.
  • Live Cameras – Click on the light-blue box to view real-time video from three important points along the I-4 Ultimate project. Click on any of the three camera icons located along the I-4 map. If you don’t see all the camera symbols, you may have to shrink the size of the map by using the (+) and (–) signs at the bottom right corner of the map.
  • Construction Photos – Click the purple box to check out aerial photos of the construction to get a bird’s-eye view of progress taking place all along the 21 miles of the I-4 Ultimate project. Click on the camera icons to see the expandable and downloadable photos, which are updated every three to six months.
 
 
 
 

National Work Zone Awareness Week Urges Motorists to Drive Safely

 

April 9 signals the beginning of National Work Zone Awareness Week, a Federal Highway Administration initiative encouraging roadway work zone safety for everyone. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is using this opportunity to remind motorists to help keep roads safe by following posted speed limits within the 21-mile I-4 Ultimate project and all other roadway projects.

Work zones present a number of challenging situations for motorists driving through the complex array of signs, barrels and lane changes.

About 140 lane or ramp shifts have occurred since construction began on the project in 2015, and more are on the way. These changes in roadway configuration are much more manageable for motorists if they’re paying attention to the new patterns by maintaining a safe speed.

While many motorists continue to make sure other drivers, workers and pedestrians are safe, there’s still work to be done.

More than 40,000 people are injured each year as a result of motor vehicle crashes in work zones nationwide. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that 99 percent of work zone crashes injure drivers and their passengers rather than roadside workers.

Remember the following tips when driving through work zones, not just on National Work Zone Awareness Week, but every day. Maintaining a safe speed can improve driving conditions for everyone.

Adjust your Speed — Traveling 10 mph above the posted work zone speed limit shaves less than three minutes off a 20-mile trip and carries a minimum fine of $200, plus court fees.

Don’t Tailgate — Driving the speed limit also makes it easier for drivers to avoid tailgating. More than half of all work zone crashes are rear end collisions. Passenger vehicles traveling at 50 mph require 300 feet of stopping distance on dry roads. A loaded tractor-trailer needs 450 feet to come to a complete stop.

Pay Attention — Traveling at the posted speed limit allows motorists more response time to recognize and manage the changes in the roadway. Work zones are constantly changing environments. Travel lanes may be different from the last time you drove through the area. Added distractions like texting and talking on the phone, eating and drinking or adjusting the radio and navigation system divert your attention from the primary task of driving.

When you see orange barrels, maintain a safe speed, pay attention and put your phone away. Keep the men and women who maintain and build our roads safe, as well as you and your passengers.

 
 
 
 

For Father, Daughter and Son, Working on I-4 Project is the Ultimate Family Affair

 

For most of her adult life, Liz Cromelin worked as a server at restaurants and pubs and as a sales clerk in retail jobs. But two years ago, the divorced mother of three decided to put down the trays, step away from the cash registers and pick up a hardhat and tools.

All it took was a nudge from a couple of family members who have been in construction for a long time. That started Cromelin down a path that, in late 2017, would lead to joining her father and brother as members of the I-4 Ultimate construction team. “I think it’s great that we’re sort of building this together,” she said.

For Cromelin, the career change has been a skill builder as well as a reunion. She’s learned proper drainage techniques, to prevent erosion, operate a cherry-picker crane and to build mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. “I found that I like learning how you put things together,” said Cromelin, who had only a slight hesitation in entering a traditionally male field.

For her brother Joshua Nuijens, who is a superintendent in Area 2 of the I-4 Ultimate project, it seems only natural that his sister is one of the approximately 2,000 workers on the job. “We’re real family-orientated,” he said. “And we’re a construction family. So I knew she’d do well.”

For her father, Marty Nuijens, a superintendent in Area 4, having his daughter join the family trade is exciting. All three are now part of SGL – the joint construction venture of Skanska, Granite and Lane.

Marty left California to join the I-4 Ultimate project for both the challenges and rewards of the multiyear project. He explains it simply as, “We’re a family of construction workers,” meaning they follow the flow of work, no matter how hard or far.

“The degree of difficulty on this project is a 9 or 10,” Marty Nuijens said of the 21-mile reconstruction effort. “If you can stick it out on this job, you can do almost anything. But it’s not for everybody.”

So far, though, it’s definitely for Cromelin. She enjoys it so much she wonders why she waited this long to try. “It’s hard work and you have to prove yourself,” Cromelin said. “But women can do these jobs. There’s a lot of opportunity here for women. You just have to have a good head on your shoulders and a good work ethic.”

Her father and brother agree and would like to see more women on the project. “You start at the bottom,” father Marty tells anyone interested in the field. “But if you work hard, there are many avenues for advancement.”

That formula for success is fine by Cromelin. After acquiring several new skills, she is hoping to get even more intense training through the SGL’s on-the-job training program. “I want to learn how bridges are put together and then help build them,” she said. Her advice to women or men considering a construction career. “Follow your dream. Go for it!”

Brother Joshua said the family has yet another goal: Get brother Richard in California to join them when he finishes his current construction project. “We’re working on him.”

 
 
 
 

During Spring Break, Use Extra Caution on I-4 in Orlando

 

Drive carefully and pay attention to the work zones along the 21-mile I-4 Ultimate reconstruction project.

That’s the message from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to all spring breakers, motorists, visitors and residents – especially during the period when spring break, Easter vacation and spring training for Major League Baseball bump up against each other on the calendar. It can make for some crowded roadways in Central Florida.

Indeed, Orlando was recently named the nation’s most popular destination for the month of March, according to the results of a survey released by AAA. Orlando topped all U.S. destinations, as well as Cancun, Mexico; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

In one way, those results underscore the need for the $2.3 billion reconstruction of Interstate 4, which is the backbone of transportation in an area that draws 68 million visitors a year.

The I-4 Ultimate reconstruction project, scheduled for completion in 2021, will improve safety and mobility for those who travel in Central Florida – whether they’re going to work or visiting some of the world’s most beloved entertainment destinations.

The extensive construction, however, means that motorists need to use extra caution when driving, especially during peak travel periods like spring break. “Stay alert, observe the speed limit and use caution when driving in work zones,” said Jessica Ottaviano, FDOT Communications Specialist.

A good way to stay apprised of lane closures and traffic shifts is to sign up for I-4 construction alerts.

By the way, many springtime travelers will come from within the Sunshine State. AAA found that 55 percent of Florida travelers will take a spring vacation of three days or more and many of those will be traveling with family members.

“Spring break is not just for college kids who want to party on the beach,” said Vicky Evans, Assistant Vice President, Travel Sales Development, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “This is often the first chance of the year when the entire family can take a break and go somewhere together.”