I-4 Ultimate Opening Michigan Street Ramp in Final Configuration
Kaley Avenue Ramp Will Close Permanently
ORLANDO, Fla. – Another portion of the I-4 Ultimate project is opening in its final configuration.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is reopening the eastbound Interstate 4 (I-4) entrance ramp from westbound Michigan Street as soon as Friday morning, October 9. At the same time, crews will permanently close the eastbound I-4 ramp from Kaley Avenue. The Kaley Avenue ramp remained open to provide an alternate entrance to eastbound I-4 from south downtown Orlando during the long-term closure of the Michigan Street ramp. The turn lane from eastbound Michigan Street onto the ramp is expected to open by December 2020.
The Michigan Street ramp was closed in February 2020 for a rebuild of the ramp.
As part of the reconstruction of I-4, the Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue interchanges are being combined to improve traffic flow. Prior to I-4 Ultimate, the proximity of the Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue interchanges created congestion on I-4 and potential conflicts with weaving traffic patterns. The new configuration braids entrance and exit ramps over top of each other to eliminate crossover points.
Texas U-turns will be implemented to connect Kaley Avenue and Michigan Street with new frontage roads that allow free flowing access between the two interchanges by the end of 2020. The new U-turns allow drivers traveling on the frontage roads between Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue to U-turn under I-4 without waiting at a traffic signal allowing the interchanges to work together improving travel times and reducing delays in the area.
Images courtesy Getty, FDOT