Have you ever driven to Disney World?
Magic Kingdom Entrance
Sure, flying might be easier, depending on where you live, but sometimes driving is just more convenient (and cheaper). Plus, a Disney road trip can be fun! However, if you’ve ever spent time driving in the Orlando area, you know that it’s sometimes NOT so much fun and can be a hassle. A new massive road construction project could potentially change that.
According to The Orlando Sentinel, a massive new road construction project was revealed by Florida’s transportation department. The project is meant to ease the congestion along Interstate 4. The project will cover a total of 14 miles, starting at State Road 536 near Disney Springs and ending at U.S. Highway 27 in Polk County. It’s a HUGE undertaking, though, so it will take about a decade to complete.
Disney World
That stretch of I-4 currently carries 200,000 vehicles daily, with that number expected to go up to 250,000 by 2050. This 14-mile project between Disney World and U.S. 27 will also act as an extension of a current road construction project on I-4 that extends from S.R. 536 at Disney World to Kirkman Road.
Driving to Disney World
So why is this needed? Well, if you’ve driven that span of roadway, it’s probably no surprise that 12 miles of that segment ranks as the most congested corridor in Florida, as well as the 10th most congested corridor in the entire U.S. It’s not pretty. The traffic here is often an annoying combination of stop-and-go. As expected, a lot of that traffic comes from tourism.
Driving to Disney World
Of course, this means that you might encounter significant road construction if you drive to Disney World soon. A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation has said that the agency expects “significant challenges” with traffic along that stretch while construction is happening. However, bids will be looked at for maintaining smooth traffic during construction.
Magic Kingdom
Work on the road project will begin later this year with designing and clearing the site. So if you’re headed to Disney World in late 2024, expect to encounter some road construction on your way.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for more news that could impact your next trip to Disney World, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
Here’s What It’s Really Like To Stay at a Disney Hotel That’s Under Construction. (Spoiler: It Was Awful)
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We live on the Gulf. We drive about every other week to stay at WDW. First we have to get through what we residents call “malfunction junction” in Tampa. Then, anyone driving eastbound on I-4 to WDW knows all too well about the 30-45 minute traffic crawl that starts just before the U.S. 27 exit. There is a “scenic” back road alternative to 1-4 by taking the S.R. 33 exit in Lakeland to U.S. 27, or we can stay on I-4 and take the U.S. 27 exit. But either of those ways still adds another 30-45 minutes to our trip due to all of the
traffic lights and stop signs. A less than an hour trip usually takes over 2 hours. So depending on our mood, we decide which way we are going to spend our time loss each trip. Florida has never been concerned about having ample roads. With the influx of new residents we are having they better start getting concerned. We are a hurricane state with too few roads to exit and now far too many cars. This new road might be a great help. Sad that it will take almost 10 years. For those living far enough away to make it worthwhile to fly in, you have the better option.