A chorus of car horns sounded off in a joyous cacophony over the news that the Florida Department of Transportation is looking to go beyond its original I-4 reconstruction project by adding 26.5 miles to the major Florida highway.
Either that or it was just the standard reaction to rush-hour traffic.
The expansion of I-4 has been a major project for the department. According to the Orlando Business Journal, about 130,000 Central Florida commuters utilize the highway every day. I’m pretty sure I ran into the other 129,999 during this morning’s drive.
The option of adding the 26.5 miles, and an additional $1 billion to the already $2.1 billion cost, would be made feasible through the use of toll lanes. The toll lanes would be for specialty and high-occupancy vehicles.
The additional 26.5 miles would extend the current reconstruction plan north to the Seminole/Volusia county line and south to the Osceola/Polk county line. The timeline for the long-range transportation plan is currently set for 2030.
There will be a public hearing on June 25 regarding the additions, and MetroPlan Orlando will make their ultimate decision in July.