Colonial Drive and State Road 436 Converted to Single-Point Urban Interchanges

Two well-traveled interchanges on Interstate 4 (I-4) have shifted into new configurations designed to improve traffic flow and safety.

The State Road (S.R.) 436 and Colonial Drive (S.R. 50) interchanges were converted to single-point urban interchanges (SPUIs) in December. The reconfigured interchanges will benefit thousands of drivers in downtown Orlando and Altamonte Springs.

A SPUI is an innovative type of interchange that is used to move a lot of traffic within a limited amount of space. A single, centrally located set of traffic signals controls all movement, including left-hand turns. Left-hand traffic movements proceed simultaneously, so larger volumes of traffic can flow safely and efficiently through the interchange.

To learn more about how to navigate through these interchanges, please visit this toolkit.

Drivers also are encouraged to visit I4Ultimate.com for updates along the project.

Make a Resolution to “Put It Down”

January 1, 2021, will mark one year since Florida began enforcing its ban on handheld devices in work zones and school zones — a lifesaving practice to put your phone down while driving.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, texting or messaging while driving takes drivers’ eyes off the road, their minds off their driving, and their hands off the steering wheel. The combination of these three kinds of distraction makes texting while driving particularly dangerous. In fact, distracted driving claimed the lives of 2,841 drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists in 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Avoiding distractions in work zones is especially important. Drivers in a work zone need to stay alert to ever-changing conditions and the presence of men and women working on or near the roadway. Similarly, motorists in school zones are likely to encounter pedestrians at unexpected times.

This new year, make a resolution to keep yourself, your passengers, and everyone around you safe by putting your phone down while driving, especially in school and work zones.

Texas U-Turns Fully Operational at Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue Interchanges

Two recently completed I-4 Ultimate improvements in the downtown Orlando area enable motorists to move from one side of Interstate 4 (I-4) to the other without entering an intersection.

A Texas U-turn opened under I-4 at Michigan Street in November, followed by a second U-turn at Kaley Avenue in December.

A Texas U-turn, also known as a Texas Turnaround, allows drivers traveling on a one-way frontage road parallel to the interstate to make a U-turn onto a frontage road in the opposite direction without waiting at a traffic signal.

Many Central Floridians may already be familiar with this type of U-turn, which is seen on other state roads in the Orlando area, including the intersections of U.S. Highway 17-92 and State Road (S.R.) 436 and S.R. 50 and S.R. 436.

As a result of combining the interchanges, the westbound I-4 exit ramps to eastbound and westbound Kaley Avenue and the Kaley Avenue on-ramp to eastbound I-4 were closed. Braided ramps between Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue were constructed to eliminate weaving patterns when entering and exiting the interstate. The U-turns created free-flowing access between Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue.

To learn more about these U-turns and other improvements at Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue, visit this toolkit.

I-4 Ultimate Team Spreads Holiday Cheer With Food Donations

In the spirit of giving season, the I-4 Ultimate team recently collected food items for distribution to low-income students and their families.

SGL Constructors — the joint venture of Skanska, Granite, and Lane — delivered hundreds of non-perishable items to benefit Killarney Elementary School Food Pantry. Ten SGL volunteers in five trucks delivered the items before Thanksgiving while taking proper safety conditions and maintaining social distance. The donation also included a $500 Publix gift card to purchase turkeys for families, too.

“The Killarney Elementary School Food Pantry and the Orlando Rescue Mission are both very important to our community and have long been a beneficiary of our team,” said SGL Communications Manager Russ Handler. “We will continue to support them.”