OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Work continues to ease traffic congestion in one of Central Florida’s busiest areas.
This week, road closures on ChampionsGate Boulevard will take place as crews perform bridge work.
Through Thursday, the Florida Department of Transportation will close eastbound ChampionsGate Boulevard under I-4 from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The work is part of the Moving I-4 Forward project, specifically for the project’s accelerated start phase.
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Crews will be erecting girders to the I-4 eastbound bridge at ChampionsGate Boulevard, which will provide the capacity improvements. The two left-turn lanes at the I-4 westbound off ramp (Exit 58) to eastbound ChampionsGate Boulevard (C.R. 532) will also be closed.
This accelerated start phase is adding pavement to expand I-4 to the width needed to accommodate up to 12 total lanes between general and express lanes. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.
Last April, two new congestion relief lanes opened between U.S. 27 in Polk County and World Drive in Osceola County, eight months ahead of schedule. Since then, drivers have noticed the difference in travel times.
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“I-4 has gone a lot better since they put that new lane in, and the diverging diamond seems to be helping quite a bit,” Michael Jones said. “Our time to Disney was like an hour, and it’s got to be like maybe 30 minutes now, which is probably more normal.”
The goal of the accelerated start phase of the Moving I-4 Forward project is to cut drive times in half.
“I mean, it’s definitely going a lot faster,” driver Jenny Smilan added. “I’m excited for the express lanes too, because I feel like that’s going to help a lot.”
Seeing the expedited work, Rachid Abounaaim is considering moving back to the area.
“Definitely, I will move back here,” he said. “The traffic and stuff that has changed [is good] because this is the main [way] to go to Haines City, to go anywhere. So, I would love it if they built another alternative.”