I4 - Beyond the Ultimate [Pre-construction]

[shardoon]

This has Disney's hands all over it, with Unicorp riding the coat tails. Disney loves the direct exit right onto hotel Plaza Blvd. Unicorp gets to clean up all the scraps and collect homeless tenents in Otown West. The only place I really want a home for is Buffalo Wild Wings. I do hope they move to Otown west. 

[AndyPok1]

I think this is more about traffic moving on 535 and getting people to CR 535 better.

Having lived back there for a few months, it can easily take 5-10 mins to get onto CR 535 past the 3 lights on SR 535.  

[codypet]

14 minutes ago, AndyPok1 said:

I think this is more about traffic moving on 535 and getting people to CR 535 better.

Having lived back there for a few months, it can easily take 5-10 mins to get onto CR 535 past the 3 lights on SR 535.  

Meh, that's what the Fenton/Daryl Carter Pkway interchange was supposed to solve.  Getting the CR 535 people past Grand Cypress, as was trying to give back the people on the South Side of Dr. Phillips a non-congested way to their homes. 

[spenser1058]

*sings, “Keep ‘em alive on 535”, a song Disney created back when MK first opened.

[prahaboheme]

On 1/22/2021 at 9:52 AM, AndyPok1 said:

I think this is more about traffic moving on 535 and getting people to CR 535 better.

Having lived back there for a few months, it can easily take 5-10 mins to get onto CR 535 past the 3 lights on SR 535.  

This is definitely a Disney move - I don’t think FDOT cares about your 5-10 mins at the interchange (no offense to you at all by that statement).

Let’s see how Disney treats this new interchange — I suspect this will become their new “main” entrance to the resort.  Let’s face it, the original Kissimmee entrance is more synonymous now with hookers and drug dealers than the Mouse (a problem they helped to exacerbate).

Even Disney cannot compete with the reputation of Kissimmee now that Hollywood is on board.

Edited January 23, 2021 by prahaboheme

[spenser1058]

535 just hasn’t been the same since they tore down the Stuckey’s!

[prahaboheme]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

535 just hasn’t been the same since they tore down the Stuckey’s!

535 has incrementally turned into a highway — don’t expect that to change. 

Remember that the west side of 535 is mostly Disney controlled properties.

Perhaps they saw something similar on 535 to the Anaheim properties and have decided to push out all these businesses.

Unlike Anaheim, unincorporated OC will have no objection.

[spenser1058]

4 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

535 has incrementally turned into a highway — don’t expect that to change. 

Remember that the west side of 535 is mostly Disney controlled properties.

Perhaps they saw something similar on 535 to the Anaheim properties and have decided to push out all these businesses.

Unlike Anaheim, unincorporated OC will have no objection.

I just want a pecan log!

[codypet]

On 1/23/2021 at 4:42 PM, prahaboheme said:

535 has incrementally turned into a highway — don’t expect that to change. 

Remember that the west side of 535 is mostly Disney controlled properties.

Perhaps they saw something similar on 535 to the Anaheim properties and have decided to push out all these businesses.

Unlike Anaheim, unincorporated OC will have no objection.

Wasn't the crossroads former Disney land that they built their own shopping center on, and then sold it so someone else and now don't want the restaurants competing with Disney Springs?  Or is that an urban legend?

[prahaboheme]

13 minutes ago, codypet said:

Wasn't the crossroads former Disney land that they built their own shopping center on, and then sold it so someone else and now don't want the restaurants competing with Disney Springs?  Or is that an urban legend?

That’s right - Disney was the original developer and owner.

[spenser1058]

15 minutes ago, codypet said:

Wasn't the crossroads former Disney land that they built their own shopping center on, and then sold it so someone else and now don't want the restaurants competing with Disney Springs?  Or is that an urban legend?

Crossroads was built on property that was the original Employment Center before WDW opened (it was all trailers).

Edited January 25, 2021 by spenser1058

[AmIReal]

In the image below, the big green spot to the top right is the old Crossroads.

From Mr. Storey at OW https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/02/01/as-crossroads-plaza-closes-new-retail-near-disney-prepares-to-open

[codypet]

@AmIReal I want to note that the plan is to make that area ponds.

"Beyond the two ramps crossing through the property, the rest of the site will be used for water retention."

SR 535 is going to be even less pedestrian friendly.  People are gonna be speeding past Burger King.

Edited February 1, 2021 by codypet

[codypet]

Why are all the new concepts of Daryl Carter's interchange including 3 of the 4 legs of the interchange?  Do they not think they need the 4th?  Are they hoping Central Fl Parkway will take that traffic?

[AmIReal]

46 minutes ago, codypet said:

@AmIReal I want to note that the plan is to make that area ponds.

"Beyond the two ramps crossing through the property, the rest of the site will be used for water retention."

SR 535 is going to be even less pedestrian friendly.  People are gonna be speeding past Burger King.

and what lovely ponds they will be

[spenser1058]

1 hour ago, AmIReal said:

and what lovely ponds they will be

I guess this means we can’t get our Stuckey’s back *sigh*.

[shardoon]

Double decker I4........

[popsiclebrandon]

doppppeeee

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-01/urban-highway-removals-could-get-federal-help

[prahaboheme]

15 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

doppppeeee

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-01/urban-highway-removals-could-get-federal-help

Obviously this will not happen in Orlando given the billion(s) dollar effort of I-4 however this could be a great opportunity for Tampa to reverse the messy highway infrastructure that ruins downtown.

[EngineerNole]

On 1/10/2021 at 9:12 AM, cwetteland said:

For now express lanes are from just north of 434 Longwood to the Universal Volcano.  Expansion to the St Johns bridge is next with some prep work being done (probably won't officially get going until the 429/417/I4 interchange is completed.   That's what I think.

I don’t think express lanes will go past wekiva parkway.

On 2/1/2021 at 2:30 PM, codypet said:

Why are all the new concepts of Daryl Carter's interchange including 3 of the 4 legs of the interchange?  Do they not think they need the 4th?  Are they hoping Central Fl Parkway will take that traffic?

I think property has to be purchased and it’s not needed yet.  Never mind.  I just looked and DOTowns that SW corner as well.

Edited February 7, 2021 by EngineerNole

[AmIReal]

Ultimate is on deadline and is expected to be complete by year end. Other good news is the current lane layout is the final layout- meaning no more major shifts or closures are expected. Most of the remaining work is the toll lanes.

https://www.wesh.com/article/i-4-ultimate-completion/35906200#

Edited March 23, 2021 by AmIReal
link

[codypet]

@AmIReal  Might need to update the link there.  

Also we can pretty much confirm the permanent bottle necks are Lee Road, Colonial, and Turnpike.  Lee Road in particular is still lowsy with traffic delays going EB.

[AmIReal]

46 minutes ago, codypet said:

@AmIReal  Might need to update the link there.  

Also we can pretty much confirm the permanent bottle necks are Lee Road, Colonial, and Turnpike.  Lee Road in particular is still lowsy with traffic delays going EB.

Done. Thanks.

Hopefully the toll lanes will ease some of those bottle necks.

[dcluley98]

The WB traffic on Colonial gridlocks trying to turn left onto I-4 every single day now at rush hour.  Part of grid-lock can be explained by SunRail, but they could have made the double stacked lanes go further instead of putting crappy palm tree landscaping in there.  I would much rather have a concrete barrier wall and longer stacking lanes that palm trees and a sign-mast using that space. 

[codypet]

@dcluley98 I'm gonna go so far as to say part of the problem is the dual lefts.  One is for Hughey and the other I4.  So you get people cutting each other off because the left left turn lane is backed up and the right left turn lane is empty because people want to get on I-4.  If they had the ramp as dual entrance lanes with a either a merge halfway up the ramp or a lane drop further up, it would have been fine.   Otherwise you get people like you have now, cutting off the left left turn lane trying to get on the ramp.  And apparently its not obvious that you could just drive one more block and get onto I-4 west from Amelia too.