The day that most people have been dreading is just days away. The Florida DOT is expected to issue it’s Notice to Proceed in early February, which will mark the start of construction.
The $2.3 billion, 21-mile renovation of Interstate 4 will affect thousands of commuters, including myself. However, it also creating about 64,000 jobs and $13 billion in economic impact for the region.
I found that the team at FDOT and I-4 Mobility Partners have a few things to offer to help ease the pain when it comes to the 6 year construction on the I-4 Ultimate…..
- The contract requires that the same number of lanes open today must remain open during weekday peak traffic times. That means most of the major lane closures will happen overnight, generally between 8:30 p.m.-7 a.m. If for some reason lanes have to be closed longer because there’s absolutely no way for workers to open them to traffic during the day, it has to be pre-approved by the FDOT and only on a case-by-case basis – and the public will be notified.
- Once construction begins, you will be able to sign up for alerts via email or mobile to be notified on changes or suggested detours. You can sign up through: http://bizj.us/17cqtb. There is talk that there will also be an I-4 Ultimate app that will keep you informed with all the updates.
- Look on the www.i4ultimate.com site for future live construction cameras. This could help you determine which route to take to your destination. This site is actually very informative, it even gives you the history of I-4, which I found to be pretty interesting.
The start date is fast approaching! As we receive more updates or information that we feel will be of value to you, we will update our blog.