In the years to come, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will transform Interstate 4 for the benefit of Central Florida commuters, tourists and freight operators. Construction projects will add lanes, expand access to the interstate and improve major interchanges across the I-4 corridor to eventually make the Ultimate I-4 Plan a reality. One of the most extensive interchange projects FDOT has planned is at the I-4 and Maitland Boulevard interchange.

FDOT conducted a public meeting May 28 with residents, businesses and local government leaders to discuss future plans for the Maitland Boulevard interchange. The Maitland Boulevard area is receiving several improvements both at the interchange with I-4 and on nearby local roadways.

Improvements to the interchange itself include realigning the ramps connecting eastbound I-4 and eastbound Maitland Boulevard to improve traffic flow, as well as adding a loop ramp from eastbound I-4 to westbound Maitland Boulevard. The ramps connecting westbound I-4 and westbound Maitland Boulevard will likewise be reconfigured, and a loop ramp from westbound I-4 to eastbound Maitland Boulevard will be added. Finally, new ramps will allow direct access between westbound I-4 and Lake Destiny Drive.

This new configuration of ramps is designed to allow drivers at this busy interchange to more quickly and easily travel from I-4 in either direction to both Maitland Boulevard and surrounding roadways.

Two other nearby Maitland Boulevard intersections will be transformed into single point urban interchanges (SPUI), enhancing safety and greatly simplifying traffic flow through those interchanges. SPUI’s connect two major roadways and direct traffic by a single set of synchronized traffic lights, rather than a set of several separate traffic signals. The simpler, single-signal configuration helps relieve congestion by decreasing traffic backups that block interchanges and intersections. SPUIs also take up less space than traditional interchanges, thus allowing for less impact to businesses or green space.

The intersection at Maitland Boulevard and Lake Destiny Drive will become a partial SPUI while the intersection at Maitland Boulevard and Keller Road will be reconfigured into a full SPUI. These two SPUIs will greatly affect traffic flow entering or exiting the Maitland area via the interstate and simplify traffic patterns.

Some of the other improvements being made to the area include:

• Adding a pedestrian walkway over I-4 south of Maitland Boulevard to connect Wymore Road with Lake Destiny Drive
• Adding a Maitland Boulevard bridge over Lake Destiny Drive
• Adding a Maitland Boulevard bridge over Keller Road
• Realigning Keller Road at Maitland Boulevard
• Extending Southhall Lane to South Keller Road
• Stormwater drainage improvements

For more information on the Maitland interchange project, and see videos demonstrating how the new Maitland Boulevard interchange will look, visit http://www.trans4mation.org/MaitlandBlvd.