I-4 E in Orlando to close for 3 nights; traffic shift near Universal could affect drivers'

ORLANDO, Fla. — For the first time in a decade, I-4 east will shut down as part of the I-4 Ultimate project.

The closure will happen next Friday through the heart of downtown Orlando at the I-4 and State Road 408 interchange.

Channel 9's Racquel Asa found out work will be done overnight in hopes that fewer drivers are affected.

The lanes will close for three nights.

Many business owners, such as, Peter Ghalan, said the upcoming closure is worrisome.

Ghalan has five venues in the Church Street district.

“I wish they would have picked not a weekend. Maybe a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday would have been better for us. But like they say, with progress always comes a price,” said Ghalan.

The closure is part of the demolition of the I-4 and the SR-408 interchange.

“We don't want anything to fall down on the roadway. So the safest way to do that is to divert traffic in that downtown area,” said David Parks, I-4 Ultimate official.

The I-4 east closure will happen from Aug. 12 to Aug. 15, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

When the closure happens, drivers will have to exit at South Street, then take Garland Avenue to Colonial Drive to get back on the interstate.

This isn't the first time I-4 had to be shut down in downtown Orlando for a major project.

About 10 years ago, workers had to close part of I-4 over Church Street to fix part of the road that was sinking.

Also, a change is coming to I-4 west near Universal Studios. The Kirkman Road north ramp is closing and a new one is opening as part of the traffic shift for the 21-mile I-4 Ultimate Project.

The change will include two big shifts: The I-4 west traffic between the Turnpike and Kirkman Road will be shifted on new lanes that have not been stripped, and exit 75B to Kirkman Road north will move to another ramp 500 feet ahead of the existing one.

“This area is a little unique. We have a lot of tourists, a lot of visitors who come into town and they're already a little confused where they are going,” said Parks.

More than 50,000 people a day use the ramp, and drivers who rely on the GPS to navigate the area should watch the road.

Changes to the roadway won't be updated on cellphones, maps or GPS devices until after the change happens.

“It just takes (a while) for the individual companies to make the adjustments,” said Parks.

Workers are going to start shifting all that traffic onto the new ramp Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Cox Media Group