ORLANDO, Fla. – This week, work on the I-4 Ultimate Project focuses on the I-4/ State Road 408 interchange in downtown Orlando.
Weather permitting, another major closure and detour is set to go into effect just in time for the Monday morning commute.
"Starting Sunday night into Monday morning, we're going to be closing a section of Hughey Avenue between Church Street and South Street for about a year," David Parks, public information officer for the I-4 Ultimate Project, said.
Work on the new I-4/408 intersection in downtown Orlando is getting ready to put a more than year-long detour in place on Hughey Avenue.
The closure starts at Church Street, but for game nights or events at the Amway Center, Orlando police will move the closure up a block to Central Boulevard.
"Starting at Central, go down Division (Avenue). As you come down Division, you'll still be able to access the Geico garage and be able to make a left-hand turn onto South Street to get to the Westbound I-4 on ramp out of the downtown area as well," Parks said.
This new pattern is scheduled to go into effect Monday morning in time for rush hour, weather permitting.
"Once it's done, it will be fantastic. We're completely reconstructing the I-4/408 interchange providing direct ramps for all directions between the two major roadways, but we've got a lot of work to do to get there," Parks said.
In the meantime, it's recommended that drivers plan ahead and allow for extra time, especially when coming in for Amway events.
"Plan for some delays, but we're going to minimize the delays with our traffic plan and the personnel that police and traffic engineering will have in place," Lt. Richard Ruth, with the Orlando Police Department traffic control unit, said.
Drivers should also be ready to follow posted detour signs.
"Trust where we're sending you. I know your smart phones and your mapping apps are going to tell you where to go and where you should be going; however, many of those roads are going to be closed, and it won't reflect that in your app," Ruth said.