Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[codypet]

It is distasteful, but I'm all for it. I hardly ever drive I-4 and when I do it's usually for work so I need to get somewhere in a hurry. Besides, just adding another regular lane each way really isn't going to help long term. It will fill up and slow down just as much as I-4 does now. And it's my understanding that I-4 thru Orlando will only get one more lane, ever, as part of DOT policy. Might as well make it count, and use the profits to get more people off the road.

Well they're complaining of lack of funding. I thought the purpose of tolls was to pay back the bonds that they take out to build the roads in the first place. Why would you build a road to allieviate conjestion and then use the money to take customers away from their toll facilities? That doesn't make sense. Even if your arguement is that the money will be used for the rail so that local traffic for the free side, the money that is generated on the pay side of the highway should go toward the express traffic or at the most to I-4. Not to surface streets and certainly not to other agencies like Lynx.

[JRS1]

FDOT sucks. they are hindering commerce by limiting the number of lanes on I-4... this is my pet peave (aside from height restrictions)...

[bic]

FDOT sucks. they are hindering commerce by limiting the number of lanes on I-4... this is my pet peave (aside from height restrictions)...

Maybe...but the massive amount of traffic caused by the lack of lanes on I-4 is encouraging people to consider alternate methods of transportation. People will want to live closer to the core and do things like vote "yes" for commuter rail and other mass transit projects. If FDOT were to add a lane every time I-4 became a parking lot, the sprawl would be even more out of control than it already is.

[bulldogger]

Maybe...but the massive amount of traffic caused by the lack of lanes on I-4 is encouraging people to consider alternate methods of transportation. People will want to live closer to the core and do things like vote "yes" for commuter rail and other mass transit projects. If FDOT were to add a lane every time I-4 became a parking lot, the sprawl would be even more out of control than it already is.

^ I agree

[sunshine]

It seems like we pay transportation tax or road tax to build freeway but somehow it becomes tolll road and we have to pay again to use it. They should change every roads into toll road and refund everybody their freeway portion of tax. Nobody actually know how they spend all these money.

This is same as the education taxes, everybody pay it and then the lottery keep claming how many billions dollar they give to education and yet you still see them doing fund raising for education. Where do the money go?

[orlandonative]

I tend to agree as well, however most people seem to be more conent in b!tching about problems rather than doing anything to change it.

Edited September 14, 2007 by orlandonative

[prahaboheme]

Instead of running toll roads down the center of I-4, the lightrail system that was proposed and approved under Hood (which would be cheaper to build, I presume) should be expanded in scope and built. If I had my way, we'd ditch the idea of lightrail for heavyrail. It is important to build up the cores of the city (by cores I mean downtown, the I-Drive corridor, and the I-4 spine). Along with this plan should be the implimentation of urban codes/principles in all of these areas.

This toll road proposal does nothing but show me that Central Florida, again, has a long way to go. The question here should be, how do we get people out of their cars? Not, how do we get people in and out of town faster.

Where's the vision?

Edited September 14, 2007 by prahaboheme

[bulldogger]

Just got word that part of the bridge construction of EB 408 collapsed somewhere between Semoran and Goldenrod. Expect delays as it is down to 1 lane.

[orlandonative]

Lane Closure Edited September 14, 2007 by orlandonative

[neon9]

It seems like we pay transportation tax or road tax to build freeway but somehow it becomes tolll road and we have to pay again to use it. They should change every roads into toll road and refund everybody their freeway portion of tax. Nobody actually know how they spend all these money.

This is same as the education taxes, everybody pay it and then the lottery keep claming how many billions dollar they give to education and yet you still see them doing fund raising for education. Where do the money go?

That's part of the problem-it's very hard to tell where the money to build and maintain roads comes from. I'd love to see some more studies, but it's obvious the gas tax and tolls don't come close to paying for them. Nor do the impact fees cover construction costs here in FL. One additional source is the major highway funding bills that congress passes every few years, I assume that comes from income taxes?

Nobody seems to understand how expensive it is to maintain a highway either. Look at the buckling or whatever is taking place on the 408 today. Look at the copper theives that have stolen miles of copper wire from light poles along the 417. The graffiti they had to cover up on the 408 @ I-4.

[orlandonative]

Orlando 8th in Traffic Congestion, Study Finds

Orlando moved up today in a ranking that it really doesn't want to brag about -- traffic congestion.

The Orlando region ranks eighth in the United States in clogged traffic, according to a national study by the Texas Transportation Institute.

[bic]

Adios to the Anderson St. bridge.

[EngineerNole]

Adios to the Anderson St. bridge.

So I hear from a good source that much of the I-4/408 project should be done by next summer. At least the first phase.

[JRS1]

So I hear from a good source that much of the I-4/408 project should be done by next summer. At least the first phase.

based on those renderings, it seems like Phase II will literally triple the size of Phase I with overpasses et al.

[bic]

"By the end of October drivers should be able to use the new westbound I-4 on-ramp from Hughey Avenue near Amelia Street. (Shown above) When this new ramp opens, the westbound I-4 on-ramp near Robinson Street will close permanently. The removal of the existing ramp will make room for an I-4 auxiliary lane from Amelia Street to the Anderson Street exit ramp. A second new westbound I-4 on-ramp is scheduled to open in the early part of 2008 at the south end of Hughey Avenue."

[bulldogger]

I am confused about what is going on with I-4. Is the current construction downtown only related to the expansion of the 408 with an even greater expansion of I-4 planned in 5 years or is this actually part of the expansion that has been touted for so long?

[chippy]

Project Description- South of OBT to South of Ivanhoe Blvd, Design- FY 2003/2012, Right of Way- through FY 2014, Construction- begins FY 2016

The Interchange I'm guessing it setting up for the future projects.

[bulldogger]

Project Description- South of OBT to South of Ivanhoe Blvd, Design- FY 2003/2012, Right of Way- through FY 2014, Construction- begins FY 2016

The Interchange I'm guessing it setting up for the future projects.

That's what I thought. So why are they doing all this construction now just to do more in 10 years? Seems like a major waste in taxpayer money on roadways.

And people are worried about the expense of a rail project.

[jack]

Lack of funding to do all 6 phases

[neon9]

That's what I thought. So why are they doing all this construction now just to do more in 10 years? Seems like a major waste in taxpayer money on roadways.

And people are worried about the expense of a rail project.

George Carlin had a rant about NIMBY's, and the one thing they didn't mind-anything that provides jobs. Even a prison. I think we could add roads to that list. As long as it's not close enough to see or hear. Yet you still hear people whine and moan about gas taxes which haven't been raised or even adjusted to inflation in years.

Edit:The waste as I see it is mobilizing a contractor several times and waiting for material prices to go up.

Edited September 28, 2007 by neon9

[cwetteland]

That's what I thought. So why are they doing all this construction now just to do more in 10 years? Seems like a major waste in taxpayer money on roadways.

Most of the interchange being worked on in the current phase will remain as part of the future interchange. So these are get-ahead items that take pressure off the 408. Prior to this work, getting off w-bound 408 onto I-4 was a horrendous bottle neck that backed up onto 408 (even on weekends). The work that starts around 2016 (earliest) just completes the interchange. So, I don't see the waste part of the equation. While a few ramps may get reworked as part of future widening of I-4 in 10-15 years, for the most part, the earlier you can get parts of it done the cheaper it is to do. It's improves traffic flow and most of this work is part of the long-range plan.

While I'm all for pushing as much traffic onto rail as possible, I don't see the waste in the current work.

[bulldogger]

While I'm all for pushing as much traffic onto rail as possible, I don't see the waste in the current work.

They are making adjustments in ramps and widening I-4 already on both sides. If Jack didn't already pipe in about lack of current funds, I would say that you should widen it all the way right now... at least in downtown while widening is already happening due to the current project.

[bulldogger]

Does anybody know anything more about this? Such as where they would put this...

Scaled-down I-Drive traffic plan revs up

[FLheat]

Does anybody know anything more about this? Such as where they would put this...

Scaled-down I-Drive traffic plan revs up

I say until Dictator Rosen drops all of his opposition to the venues, we cease in providing any tax dollars to the I-drive area that may benefit him.

[JRS1]

Does anybody know anything more about this? Such as where they would put this...

Scaled-down I-Drive traffic plan revs up

the easiest place is I-Drive (at 528) north... make a right at that new road before Peabody under the OCCC ped bridge... go left at Univ. Blvd.... and go up...

but that would be good for rail, but for bus, you need to be on I-Drive...