I was in Orlando in September and when I rented my car from Hertz they gave me a map of Orlando. I noticed on the map that Orlando International (MCO) had no direct highway connection to Downtown. See the Mapquest map showing the airport and route 436 that goes to Downtown, about 8 miles north.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/Nick_in_Atlanta/Orlando-Mapquest.bmp

Now, I'm not Orlando bashing, because I found the city to be very nice, but I'm wondering why there is no highway or even a tollway that runs from the airport to downtown. There is a very long way to go on the Bee Line Expressway to I-4 and then go north to downtown, but this seems crazy to me. I was wondering if any Orlando area posters know of a future plan to build a highway or even a tollway from the airport to downtown? It seems to me that something along Route 436 would be perfect.

Here's my best guess as to why there is no highway connection between MCO and Downtown:

As you may or may not know, MCO was not Orlando's original airport. In 1928, Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) opened as Orlando Municipal airport, 3 miles to the east of Downtown Orlando. Between 1962 and 1968, the airlines at ORL relocated to MCO, which was previously known as McCoy Airforce Base. 1971 marked the year of the Magic Kingdom's grand opening, serving as a catalyst for explosive growth in the region. Around this time (+10 years), much of Orlando's current-day transportation system had already been constructed or was being planned. In 1967, the first leg of the Bee-Line Expressway opened, and planning had begun on the proposed East-West Expressway (the Beeline did not connect MCO to I-4 until some years later). In 1976, MCO was granted international airport status and was renamed Orlando International airport.

So here we are...it's 1976 and Orlando is experiencing rapid growth. I-4, the Beeline, and East-West Expressways are pretty much in place. Although it is the center of the city, Downtown Orlando is not exactly a bustling center of commerce for the region. Much of the growh in Central Florida can be attributed to the tourism generated by Walt Disney World at this time. There does not appear to be enough of a demand to run a highway between the airport and Downtown Orlando, especially when much of Orlando's resources have been expended on constructing arteries to serve routes already in need of service. There is the major east/west/south/north route through town that connects Tampa to Daytona-- I-4; there is the east-west route that runs out to the beach-- the Bee-Line; there is the crosstown route to funnel eastern and western suburbs into downtown; and in the 1970's/80's there are plans for an Eastern Beltway and East-West Expressway expansion. Also, State Road 436 (AKA Semoran Blvd.) ran directly from the airport north to the East-West expressway, providing a decent pathway into downtown.

I do believe, however, that the proposed Eastern Beltway was originally intended to slice a path further west than it does today, so that might have been the highway to better connect MCO to downtown.

But because Orlando experience such rapid growth, I believe the area along 436 on the map above developed so quickly that it became difficult to put a major highway in that area. Also, because there are so many other highways in the area, I don't think the demand was great enough to create one, especially at the great expensve of claiming already developed land. Without a large population located in the immediate vicinity of the airport, I don't think the route would receive much in the way of local traffic. Like I stated earlier, it would be primarily used by travelers wanting to get from the airport to downtown, which is not a huge demand. I think I read somewhere today that 91% of the 49 million visitors to Orlando expected in 2004 will visit Walt Disney World. That's just incredible.

Anyway, so coming back to current day Orlando...

Yes, there has been an explosion in Orlando in regards to business outside the Mouse, and yes Downtown Orlando is becoming a vibrant center for work and play in the region. City officials have realized this and know that it is important to establish a link between Orlando International and downtown. A few years ago, the solution was found in a Light Rail proposal that would connect Downtown Orlando to the airport, theme parks, and Orange County Convention Center. Eventually the system would be expanded to outer suburbs, as well. Unfortunately, due to politics, this plan has been put on hold and it is unsure when we will ever see Light Rail in Central Florida. As a side note, there have also been proposals for Mag-Lev to be constructed to connect MCO to Port Canaveral....but that's getting off-topic.

But you're right, Nick. Orlando could use a highway between downtown and the airport. I hope I offered some insight into the possibilities as to why there isn't one. On the bright side, it's only 8 miles along a very direct Semoran Blvd. route to the East-West expressway, and only about 13 miles of driving between the airport and downtown-- not horrible.

If you want to fly into Orlando and have a short connection to downtown, I suggest you charter a flight and land at the Executive Airport (ORL), pictured below (which I might add is responsible for the FAA-imposed height restrictions on downtown skyscrapers): =)
http://www.orlandoairports.net/goaa/orl/graphics/orl_downtown.jpg


-Victor

A few years back, an express toll road was proposed from the airport to downtown. But a small municipality (Edgewood ?) through which the road was to have run vetoed the idea and the whole plan unraveled.

All roads lead to Disney. Orlando is the city the mouse built and that's where the roads go. (yea, I know, there is more to Orlando than the mouse, but let's be honest, Orlando has as major an airport as it has because of the tourists going to the mouse - it helps other business but the mouse is the catalyst. THat's where the traffic goes, that's where the best highways are, and that's what the system is for) - I wish it were not so becuase the system in town is inadequate, but so be it. The mouse is a giant black hole for state money.

hmm, you're being a little overboard there Smiley. Disney did get the major roads when it was built, but no upgrades have been made to the infrastructure since Disney was built! All upgrades have taken place outside of Disney. Downtown has just grown too little too late. Now it would be extremely difficult and costly to link the airport directly to downtown. Back in the 70's it wouldn't have been the case, but at that time it was all about Disney. Nowadays there is much more business travel, you gotta remember that Orlando has one of the largest convention centers in the US, and it's not in Disney (tho it's not downtown either :( ).

that is simple not accurate. all those toll roads south of Orlando flow right to Disney's doorstep. They were not there when Disney was built. I-4 and the area around disney is always under construction, being widened and expanded - for the hotels and disney, as well as the attractions around diseny (but that is all disney driven)

The city itself gets very little. I-drive and disney get it all.

I was thinking the same thing, Smiley. Doesn't the new Osceola Parkway run right to Disney? And there's a new interchange that provides a direct connection from I-4 to World Drive. Then there's the improved Kirkman Road intechange for Universal Studios. Until now, most of the I-4 improvements have been from John Young Pkwy west to US 192. At least, that's all I've seen.

Anyway, creating a freeway isn't always the answer.

Is traffic that bad on Semoran Blvd and the other north-south corridors nearby?

I live west of Orlando and there are many highway projects not directly leading to the tourist areas. The East West is currently undergoing a major widening and bridge project. The 429 which runs north to Apopka is being expanded. Generalization are a dangerous thing. It is a bit silly trying to seperate the two though since in addition to being tourist areas thousands of residents need to get to work there.

I was thinking the same thing, Smiley. Doesn't the new Osceola Parkway run right to Disney? And there's a new interchange that provides a direct connection from I-4 to World Drive. Then there's the improved Kirkman Road intechange for Universal Studios. Until now, most of the I-4 improvements have been from John Young Pkwy west to US 192. At least, that's all I've seen.

Anyway, creating a freeway isn't always the answer.

Is traffic that bad on Semoran Blvd and the other north-south corridors nearby?


Osceola Parkway runs East-West through Osceola County, from Boggy Creek (where no tourists ever go) through BVL and eventually over to Disney (which is at Osceola's Western edge). Of course tons of roads lead through the parks, this is only common sense people. Tourism is Florida's number one industry and its all based out of Orlando.

The answers in this thread, while making for nice discussion, kind of ignore the obvious IMO.

There is no direct connection from DT Orlando to MCO, because there is no demand for it.

Osceola Parkway runs East-West through Osceola County, from Boggy Creek (where no tourists ever go) through BVL and eventually over to Disney (which is at Osceola's Western edge). Of course tons of roads lead through the parks, this is only common sense people. Tourism is Florida's number one industry and its all based out of Orlando.

I think you missed the point. Besides the beltway, most of the major road building and improvements have been in the southern portion of the metro area where most of the tourist attractions are.

Jasonhouse, you hit it on the head.

^I didn't miss the point, its just simply untrue. All of Orlando's roads are pretty much kept up throughout the metro area..most people never go anywhere but disney so outsiders wouldn't know the difference.

I think you missed the point. Besides the beltway, most of the major road building and improvements have been in the southern portion of the metro area where most of the tourist attractions are.

Jasonhouse, you hit it on the head.


This is true, but the southern metro area is also the area undergoing the most rapid growth. The northern and eastern suburbs (i.e. Winter Park) are older than what is cropping up in southwest Orange County, eastern Lake County, and northern Osceola County. Houses are popping up like weeds over by the Butler Chain of Lakes, huge planned neighborhoods are being developed in south Orange, and most of the land in these regions have only been served by 2 and 4-lane roads. It's also pretty unusual to go from desolate land to a town of near 20,000 people in a matter of 10 years, as in the case of Celebration.

So not all of the infrastructure improvements are being made solely because of tourism-- there are just a lot of new developments. Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying that tourism does not play a role in these new roads being constructed..it's just not the only reason. Several variables can be attributed to these developments, including demand, desirable real estate, and tourism.

As a side note, yeah, I mentioned a few times in my reply to the original poster that the reason why there is no downtown connection is due mainly to demand (or lack thereof).

btw, Orlando would be much wiser to expand connectivity from MCO to DT by increasing options, not the throughput of the roads. Rail or express shuttle busses would be much, much better IMO. This should be the same thing for expansion to other activity centers, like the I-Drive amusement corridor, the OCCC, etc...

To be clear - I did not say only tourist use the roads. I said the attractions drive where they are put. - When they are put there, development follows. Thus 1) the demand to go downtown is much lower than to Disney, 2) people going from Orlando to Disney to work need roads 3) other areas want roads to Disney to spur growth (like Osceola). It still is driven by the mouse. No value attached to it. It is just a fact.

That is not to say there are not other roads - but if you drive through Orlando, it is pretty obvious.

The answers in this thread, while making for nice discussion, kind of ignore the obvious IMO.

There is no direct connection from DT Orlando to MCO, because there is no demand for it.

Well I hate to disagree, but when I visited Orlando, I landed at MCO and had to take 436 north to a tollway and then west to downtown, where I then got on I-4 to go to a hotel in Maitland. There seemed to be a lot of commercial activity in both Maitland and Downtown.

Basic Point: Picking up a rental car a half mile from the airport and driving on a relatively minor road (436) at night can be disconcerting. There is something about an expressway that makes a city easier to navigate. :)

^you could take the Beeline (528) to I-4, or it to the turnpike to I-4, if you wish to take an expressway route. There are a lot of major cities that don't have a direct connection between their downtowns and the airport. IMO, its not a major problem.

Well I hate to disagree, but when I visited Orlando, I landed at MCO and had to take 436 north to a tollway and then west to downtown, where I then got on I-4 to go to a hotel in Maitland. There seemed to be a lot of commercial activity in both Maitland and Downtown.

Basic Point: Picking up a rental car a half mile from the airport and driving on a relatively minor road (436) at night can be disconcerting. There is something about an expressway that makes a city easier to navigate. :)

I bet a few people also land at MCO and drive to Sebring. Should they build a direct connection expressway to there as well? :nuts:

The reality is that as soon as more people are going to DT than I-Drive or Disney from MCO, then maybe leaders will give a shit. MCO handles like what, roughly 20 million passengers a year? How many land and need to go directly to DT? 5-8%, if that? And uhh, I wonder how many need to go to the attractions the roads go to? (my guess is at least 1/2) ;)

The word for the day kids is r-e-a-l-i-t-y.

Interesting topic. I work downtown on Orange and live NE of downtown off of Colonial and travel very regularly for business, so I'm always driving to the airport. 436/Semoran is a crap road. The lights aren't synchronized, it's not a wide enough, there are too many intersections and the length from the 408 to the airport is too long.

HOWEVER, all of the posters who said there was no demand for the Downtown-MCO connection are fairly correct. Whenever I meet other business travelers at MCO or heading to MCO, they are almost always traveling for a corporate meeting or convention and that means they use the Bee-Line and head over to the convetion center, Disney, Grande Lakes, the World Center Marriott, or Gaylord Palms.

Also, if you guys have been on 436 recently, you'll notice it's being completely rebuilt and widened.

Also, downtown Orlando sucks compared FTL, Miami, WPB, etc...

gahlis

I was going to say, 436 is far from a minor road. It may not be an expressway, but it's as close as you'll get. It's the second busiest road in Orlando behind I-4 if i'm not mistaken.

I've been on Semoran several times in my travels around Orlando (elderly relative keeps a small home off that road a few miles north of the airport). I don't think it's that busy, though it is a rather shabby road. Like most any arterial in any sizable Florida city, it certainly would be nice to see it widened.

But alas, name a road that doesn't need to be widened, and I'll show you one that will need to be in 5 years, tops. ;)


And if they wanted to get cute with 436, just give it a few flyovers at the intersections that are the worst during the rushes, and sychronize the damn lights!

If you are willing to pay for tolls, Orlando is by far the easiest city in Florida to get around.

If you are willing to pay for tolls, Orlando is by far the easiest city in Florida to get around.

Orlando really does have more toll-roads per capita than any city I've been to in the US, and some of them are really expensive. Metro Orlando's population is 1.5 million people and yet it only has one highway that is partially federally financed, I-4. I think that those 1.5 million people are due some more free highways! If you don't want them, I know we'll take that federal highway money up here in Atlanta. :)

If it were up to the citizens, I'm sure most highways would be free.

If people had half a brain, all expressways would be toll roads. Our taxes would be noticably lower.

It's for the tourists. That's why they are so expensive. The locals can go on 4 from their houses to Disney, or take back roads.

Orlando has a big problem with toll roads. I'm quite happy there is big opposition to the one that will cut through the Wekiva River basin if built.

One of the main reasons why Mobility 20/20 failed was because it only offered toll roads and expanding I-4. Citizens are just fed up.

Orlando has a big problem with toll roads. I'm quite happy there is big opposition to the one that will cut through the Wekiva River basin if built.

One of the main reasons why Mobility 20/20 failed was because it only offered toll roads and expanding I-4. Citizens are just fed up.

That was the misconception
a portion of the money would have went toward light rail, as well as expanding I-4 & Colonial Dr. The problem is they marketed the toll roads way too much, which gave the impression thats where hte money would go. It's a shame it didn't work out... but we ARE fed up w/ toll roads.

The real problem is that people are too ignorant to know that toll raods are much more cost effective than a "free" taxpayer funded road could ever be.

All new limited acess highways should be toll roads so the people who use them pay for them, period. That is the easiest way to get a road built.

If you are willing to pay for tolls, Orlando is by far the easiest city in Florida to get around.

From spending time and driving on just about every major street in both metros, over the years, I'd have to say its much easier to get around Jacksonville, than Orlando.

They both have about an equal amount of highways, however, metro Jax is about half the size of metro Orlando, its roads seem to take more direct routes and they're free.

Back in the early 90's the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority was building an expressway called the "Central Connector" to link the 528 near Orange Avenue (the road was to run next to Orange Ave) and link with I-4 near Michigan Street. The city of Edgewood fought a major battle to keep the road from being built and was successful. Since that time, the 436 has been widened, Goldenrod Rd has been exteneded directly into the airport and the main route for residents in downtown is taking the 408 to the 417 and entering the airport through either the 528 or the southern entrance to the airport on Boggy Creek...Also Goldenrod Rd has now cut through the airport property and the name changes to Heintzelman Blvd. and a new (another) interchange is being contstructed on the 417 between Boggy Creek and Narcoosee Rd (nearly complete) to add another entrance to the state's busiest airport making that 4 entrances in to the airport. I can think of no other city in Florida with so many airport entrances. (And the fastest growing areas in the metro are East Orange county (Waterford Lakes area), Lake Mary/Sanford/Heathrow (far north of the mouse) and now Western Orange and Clermont, especially with the completion of the 429. Most posters no nothing of what goes on in Orlando...why is the continuous beltway being built around the metro and not directly in to Disney??? Why is the 408 going through such a huge widening project and why are Orlando's toll roads so busy and successful? The busiest (408) is used by very few tourists. Another way that locals connect to downtown from the airport is the 528 to Turnpike north to I-4 east. The turnpike is getting more and more use by locals and is being widened through Orange county. Also a new interchange is nearly complete connecting the western end of the 408 to head south on the Turnpike and vice versa. And Orlando became large after the Federal Interstate system was planned and has lead the nation on toll road use. Even L.A. is building toll roads now. Nothing beats Orlando's EPASS system and all toll booths are being reconstructed so that you can travel and pay your tolls at 80MPH. See www.oocea.com to read about it. For years Orlando has lived in the shadow of the mouse, but sometime around 2000 it was determined that the mouse now lives in the shadow of Orlando. Used to be someone in your circle of friends here worked for Disney, now I know of no one...most employed in that industry are immigrants from the Carribean or Asia....Miami was once (still is) a tourism mecca in Florida and majority of flights in and out of Miami are tourism related.... :)

^^ I read your reply and I'm confused. Were they going to build a highway from MCO to downtown Orlando at some point in the past?

^^ I read your reply and I'm confused. Were they going to build a highway from MCO to downtown Orlando at some point in the past?
read the first and second post on page 1 of this thread for the background on it.

they were, but a small town in its path vetoed it. instead, the region has built up area roads and highways to compensate for it. the most notable new construction is:

1. FLa. Tnpk-- they are widening it now throughout Orange County to 6 lanes, and to 8 lanes from 528 to I-4. the easement swath they are cutting is huge with noise walls and the like. You've always been able to take a somewhat direct route to MCO via I-4/Tnpk/528 relatively easy from DT.

2. 436-- widening and updating has been completed from 528 to Curry Ford Rd. for a few months.


MCO has access in the following places:

1. 436/528 to North Entrance (from north)
2. 551/528 to Cargo Road/436 to North Entrance (JetBlue's facility is here) (from NE)
3. 551("Heintzelman")/528 to Boggy Creek to South Entrance (new South Terminal will go here) (from east, SE)
4. 417/Boggy Creek to to South Entrance (from south)
5. Conway Rd./Tradeport Dr. to Cargo Rd. to 436 to North Entrance (Fed Ex/UPS/Cargo Carriers go here, and nearby AIPO) (from west, NW, or west, SW)
6. Wetherbee/Boggy Creek to South Entrance (from SW)

thanks JZQuince69....also construction is starting to begin on 436 (Semoran) to build interchanges and some major intersections, the first being at 436 and Colonial, construction is beginning very soon on that, much like Hyw 19 in Pinellas county ( I never could understand why Pinellas doesn't have an expressway going north through the county past Howard Frank bridge....It always amazes me, don't people wonder what Metro Orlando's 2,000,000+ residences do for a living? Do people move here so they can make $7.00 an hour at Disney like that's the only opportunity.....then when we have 3,000,000 residents soon, are they all going to be employed by the tourism industry...you can look at any map of metro Orlando and see that "all roads do not lead to Disney....Orlando's road system looks similar to any other metro area, Atlanta included. And the new proposed toll roads from the south Turnpike, bypassing St. Cloud and linking to 417 doesn't lead to Disney...the proposed toll road from i-95 in Melbourne to that St. Cloud bypass doesn't lead to Disney....the proposed 408 extension to I-95 in Titusville doesn't lead to Disney and the proposed toll road that links to the 417 near the Orlando Sanford area and connects to I-95 somewhere between Daytona and New Smyrna doesn't lead to Disney. They all further strengthen the Orlando's ties with Volusia and Brevard, which I'm sure in the next 20 years will officially become part of the metro and add another 1.5 million people at that time....Like I said, the leading economist at UF said around the year 2000 that Disney now lives in the shadow of Orlando...... :runaway:

when is that darn interchange going to break ground at 436 and SR50? I checked with FDOT Dist. 5 a couple of years back and the widening from 436 to Alafaya was supposed to begin in 2005...

Also, Club Juana closed down to make way for an interchange at 17/92 and 436 as well. still don't know when they will build it.

Just so no one is confused. That photograph is the Orlando Executive Airport, and not the International.

Domo

The interchange is supposed to start soon, Steak and Ale has closed, Dairy Queen has been demolished, according to the Sentinel a couple of months ago supposed to begin last quarter of 2006. As far as Casselberry is concerned not sure about that one, confused as to why a "Downtown Casselberry" is being planned in that area but yet an interchange is supposed to be being built??????But the 436 & Colonial thing is supposed to be a go.....we shall see shortly