Orlando- Transportation Developments

[jzquince69]

The Turnpike authority is currently widening the Fla TNPK throughout most of Orange County. They are widening the TNPK to 8 lanes from Beulah Rd/Toll 429 Interchange in WinterGarden to the 528/US 441 interchange just west of OIA. This is roughly a 13 mile stretch which will be completed by 2011.

Thirteen miles is roughly the distance from the I-4/I-75 Interchange and the beginning of the Howard Franklin Bridge in Hillsborough, or, the distance from the I-95/I-295 Interchange to just north of Downtown Jax in Duval, or, the distance from Downtown Miami to the Broward County Line ala I-95.

The Turnpike Authority is also widening 528 between the TNPK/441 Interchange and Narcoossee to 6 lanes where it is only 4 lanes currently.

[ames]

good news mate.

[jzquince69]

from the trans4mation website:

[HARTride 2012]

Whoohoo! I remember seeing the online presentations for this project prior to it begining and am happy that the progress of construction is going well.

[jzquince69]

Ok. I know that the OOCEA is building Phase B of the 414 John Land Apopka Expressway extending west into Plymouth. But, I noticed on I-4 in Sanford that it looks like they are building the 417/I-4 interchange or rather finishing it so that 417 extends west from that point to become the Wekiva Parkway.

Does anyone have more info on this? B/C there is nothing on the OOCEA website.

[Bobdreamz]

I would rather know when Orlando is going to have a true mass transit system instead of paving themselves over in every direction. Orlando is at the stage where it really needs to reconsider a light rail system at the very least. When Miami Dade county reached a million residents they were already planning Metrorail in the 1960s and Orange county is at the same stage & will continue to grow.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

I agree that Orlando needs to seriously invest in mass transit alternatives. SunRail is nearly a start.

I do not think that Miami is an adequate model, however.

Orlando would be served well by a streetcar system (akin to Portland) connecting urban and semi-urban areas thereby promoting greater density in areas where the traditional built environment already exists. A feeder line into the streetcar system could service the I-Drive corridor.

No point in focusing on mass transit rail in exurban and sprawling burbs when there is no plan in place to make those areas walkable and pedestrian oriented.

[Orlando Villas FL]

Originally Posted by SkyDiveJunkee

I agree that Orlando needs to seriously invest in mass transit alternatives. SunRail is nearly a start.

I do not think that Miami is an adequate model, however.

Orlando would be served well by a streetcar system (akin to Portland) connecting urban and semi-urban areas thereby promoting greater density in areas where the traditional built environment already exists. A feeder line into the streetcar system could service the I-Drive corridor.

No point in focusing on mass transit rail in exurban and sprawling burbs when there is no plan in place to make those areas walkable and pedestrian oriented.

This is a great suggestion and I couldn't agree more, given that large parts of the Orlando area sprawl are completely pedestrian unfriendly with the car ruling as king.

[jzquince69]

Kiss-St.Cloud: Neptune Road has been widened east of Kissimmee

408: widening from SR 436 all the way to the new 417 interchange which is U/C; new ramps, flyovers, etc. 417 is also being reconfigured approaching the new interchange from the north and the south.

I-4/417: I think they reconfigured the interchange to give direct access to Heathrow to the west.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

Kiss-St.Cloud: Neptune Road has been widened east of Kissimmee

Kissimmee has been making huge downtown/lake shore improvements. They have been tearing up asphalt and placing down brick streets, roundabouts, lighting, etc. The lakefront is undergoing a $25 million renovation and it is very well conceived. The Kissimmee City Centre development has been completed and includes several restaurants/bars, condos, and offices right in the heart of downtown, and adjacent to the future SunRail station.

An intermodal station is in the development stage right now which will tie together SunRail, Amtrak, and Lynx.

[jzquince69]

I am most curious to see how the development proceeds for the intermodal center at OIA. Now that HSR to Tampa is a no-go, Sunrail's first stage will go to SLR Station. Phase II will continue south through Taft. The spur there will connect Sunrail directly to OIA either in Phase II or after- but I think the development of other rail will dictate when that station will be built- that and the schedule at OIA for the new South Terminal.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Lynx bus system adding stations in Osceola ahead of SunRail
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,4970485.story

[jzquince69]

The TNPK is now 8 lanes wide from the Clermont exit all the way to 528. I don't know if its in the plans, but it needs to be widened from 528 to Osceola Pkwy next. If you travel that newest stretch, you won't recognize where u are. It's pretty awesome the change.

[FLAWDA-FELLA]

Wow, I didn't know the Turnpike had been widened to 8 lanes because I took the Hwy 50 exit since I was only going to the Pine Hills/Ocoee area.

[HARTride 2012]

I noticed that on my last visit to the Orlando/Kissimmee area in Sept, 2011. The improvements definitely look good.

Anyone know of the status of Hwy 528? The last time I went on that expressway, it was back in 2008 and some of the toll plazas were being redone in favor of open road tolling.

[jzquince69]

528 has been widened from the TNPK/441 east to Orange/SLR so its widened now all the way to OIA. It still needs to be widened from there to I-4 still.

[HARTride 2012]

I see, that is great progress.

Yeah the I-4/SR528 interchange needs to be redone actually, at least the overpasses rebuilt to accomodate additional lanes.

[ThatFloridaDude]

Lymmo expansions still happening?

[jzquince69]

they are in the midst of building a new overpass with flyover ramps at JYP & US 441.

[jzquince69]

actually, its a much larger project:

Currently, JYP heading north hits 441 and when you cross it, it becomes Lee Rd. Well, now, JYP will turn into a bridge over 441 and the RR tracks, cut to the northwest, shadow those tracks, and then turn and join with Forrest City Road where it currently terminates at Edgewater Drive. When it opens, they will have widened JYP from Shader Rd. north to 6 lanes, and JYP will continue up and over 441 and the tracks and continue on and become Forrest City Rd. and continue north from there.