I4 - Beyond the Ultimate [Pre-construction]

[nite owℓ]

I wonder why didn't traffic engineers think about any of those things in advance? They fixed one problem only to create other problems...

Other issues I've noticed:

They initially said they would do away with weaving traffic lanes to reduce bottlenecks, but EB traffic on I4 near the Winter Park/Lee Rd exit always comes to a standstill in the afternoon because you have a ton of cars trying to merge back onto I4 because the far right lanes are exit only. If they would erect Exit Only signs and paint the lanes as exit only I feel that would cut down on some of the congestion.

Also, the I4 WB 408 and Anderson St exits are weird. I've nearly been sideswiped several times while heading WB because people not familiar with the area don't realize the right lanes suddenly turn into exit lanes so they quickly want to merge across 2 lanes of traffic to stay on I4 - it's almost like they expect me to merge back onto I4 with them not understanding that I really intend to take the Anderson St exit.

[dcluley98]

Yeah, it is not a great design.  Most of the time I will just go all the way down Hughey to past the Amway to get on at that exit because I don't want to deal with the idiots trying to merge. 

The ramp at the end of Hughey is way easier to get on WB and avoid the idiots mostly.  Worth the couple of extra stoplights DT to not have that pucker factor of a bunch of idiots around you not knowing what the heck they are doing. 

[codypet]

9 hours ago, nite owℓ said:

I wonder why didn't traffic engineers think about any of those things in advance? They fixed one problem only to create other problems...

Also, the I4 WB 408 and Anderson St exits are weird. I've nearly been sideswiped several times while heading WB because people not familiar with the area don't realize the right lanes suddenly turn into exit lanes so they quickly want to merge across 2 lanes of traffic to stay on I4 - it's almost like they expect me to merge back onto I4 with them not understanding that I really intend to take the Anderson St exit.

I can't believe how often this happens.  There are a lot of signs leading up the interchange and you're right nearly every time I'm nearly sideswiped going at speed because someone from one of the middle lanes decided they needed to get off the highway.

Talking to one of my buddies who was part of the design for this project, the whip was cracked on them pretty hard to the point where most were working 15 hour days trying to get the packages out for the contractors.   IMO after 10 hours a day, you're pretty much useless, everything runs together.  Do that for multiple days over weeks and you've burned out your designers and you get silly stuff like that.

[nite owℓ]

4 hours ago, codypet said:

I can't believe how often this happens.  There are a lot of signs leading up the interchange and you're right nearly every time I'm nearly sideswiped going at speed because someone from one of the middle lanes decided they needed to get off the highway.

Talking to one of my buddies who was part of the design for this project, the whip was cracked on them pretty hard to the point where most were working 15 hour days trying to get the packages out for the contractors.   IMO after 10 hours a day, you're pretty much useless, everything runs together.  Do that for multiple days over weeks and you've burned out your designers and you get silly stuff like that.

Signage seems like something that could have been planned in advance using standard templates using some sort of transit software especially with all the renderings/plans released prior to construction? lol It's not like interstates are anything new, but in some areas the signs on I4 come off a bit amateurish. Early  on I remember some of the signs were being misspelled and one EB Maitland exit sign was the size of a postage stamp... shocking as the final product. That said, I can relate to and sympathize with employees getting set up for failure due to poor working conditions and it makes me wonder if there is anything else they are not getting right behind the scenes (especially engineering-wise). I'll wait & see what the final product turns out like and maybe once the traffic lanes are painted properly things will improve, but so far I'm kinda giving them the side-eye.

[codypet]

55 minutes ago, nite owℓ said:

Signage seems like something that could have been planned in advance using standard templates using some sort of transit software especially with all the renderings/plans released prior to construction? lol It's not like interstates are anything new, but in some areas the signs on I4 come off a bit amateurish. Early  on I remember some of the signs were being misspelled and one EB Maitland exit sign was the size of a postage stamp... shocking as the final product. That said, I can relate to and sympathize with employees getting set up for failure due to poor working conditions and it makes me wonder if there is anything else they are not getting right behind the scenes (especially engineering-wise). I'll wait & see what the final product turns out like and maybe once the traffic lanes are painted properly things will improve, but so far I'm kinda giving them the side-eye.

Yea those signs were not the final product, nor were they were intended to be.  They were temporary MOT guidesigns.  It doesn't dismiss the spelling, but it should explain the irregular size and the temporary arrow placement on them.

[cwetteland]

4 hours ago, codypet said:

Yea those signs were not the final product, nor were they were intended to be.  They were temporary MOT guide signs.  It doesn't dismiss the spelling, but it should explain the irregular size and the temporary arrow placement on them.

But, but but , where's the fun in that?   WRT preplanning signs, I-4 Ultimate had a sign plans published before the first shovel of dirt was turned.  

[Jerry95]

On 3/23/2021 at 9:24 PM, codypet said:

@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.

When I use this intersection people seem to have adjusted to merging traffic mid-intersection, which is a crazy way to go. They could still add a second lane onto I-4 and cut Hughey down to two lanes and solve the problem. Close the Amelia ramp while you're at it to improve the 408 merge. 

[AmIReal]

Some discussion on the toll lanes. It seems they may be less pricey than originally thought..."The rates could be much like those of the Central Florida Expressway Authority, a regional toll-road operator, which charges an average of nearly 14 cents per mile. Early on, I-4 tolls were projected to be as high as 68 cents per mile." per OS.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-i4-toll-mystery-20210326-eyrsgurxwnfrbev6kvavjnhhbe-story.html

[prahaboheme]

Was finally able to take a closer look at the “under” line (or whatever they will call it).

There is a big opportunity here to create a new and needed outdoor space in downtown Orlando.

The city needs to think  big — ala the Highline in NYC or the Beltline in ATL -  something that can spawn off development around it and create a new destination.

 

[EngineerNole]

The I-4 at Sand Lake Rd - Diverging Diamond Interchange project is showing with a bid opening in March 2022.  This is part of the BtU.

https://www.cflroads.com/project/444315-1

[TRENCH]

On 5/9/2021 at 8:07 PM, EngineerNole said:

The I-4 at Sand Lake Rd - Diverging Diamond Interchange project is showing with a bid opening in March 2022.  This is part of the BtU.

https://www.cflroads.com/project/444315-1

That sand lake/ turkey road intersection is the worst  way... probably in the entire region. glad they're doing something

Edited May 11, 2021 by W7edwin

[prahaboheme]

1 hour ago, W7edwin said:

That sand lake/ turkey road intersection is the worst  way... probably in the entire region. glad they're doing something

Shouldnt it just be eliminated altogether?

[codypet]

1 hour ago, prahaboheme said:

Shouldnt it just be eliminated altogether?

Well you won't be able to turn onto it from many of the approaches.   That's kind of like eliminating it.

Edited May 12, 2021 by codypet

[prahaboheme]

Is there a long term plan to create a Daryl Carter Pkwy interchange?  Seems setup for a future on/off ramp.

[smileguy]

6 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Is there a long term plan to create a Daryl Carter Pkwy interchange?  Seems setup for a future on/off ramp.

There is!

https://i4beyond.com/project-designs/i-4-at-daryl-carter-parkway-interim-interchange/

[dcluley98]

So the infamous L column of I-4 at the Colonial interchange has the monitor wires disconnected and the barrier on the top deck has been removed. 

 

Hmmm. .  . Wonder if @CodyPet knows anything about this. 

[codypet]

Last I heard the initial cracking and concern over fatigue on both that C pillar and the one on the 408 flyover have steadied.  I suspect they're no longer concerned with them and will be moving to the more traditional annual bridge inspections.

[spenser1058]

Let’s hope any problems don’t get ignored like the I40 bridge in Memphis over the Mississippi…

[JFW657]

So, how far out are we from the entire project being finished?

I haven't personally driven on I-4 since around 2012, so I have no idea how far along it is.

I think I rode in a car as a passenger a couple of times after that, but it was years ago as well. 

[spenser1058]

I remember 2012, the same year Buddy completed DPCPA. Oh wait…

[spenser1058]

Progress!

I’m the I-4 Lake Ivanhoe ramp, and I’m a mess | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-i-4-ivanhoe-ramp-20210524-ka2edahaszfsdotaluprh6fzha-story.html

From The Sentinel 

 

[JFW657]

Quote

spenser1058: I remember 2012, the same year Buddy completed DPCPA. Oh wait…

Must give one a sense of pride and purpose to have such a meaningful raison d'être... 

 

.

Edited May 24, 2021 by JFW657

[spenser1058]

36 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Must give one a sense of pride and purpose to have such a meaningful raison d'être... 

 

.

No doubt much the same as you get for being a constant apologist (kinda like Baghdad Bob) for broken promises that stretch until the end of time. It’s certainly good to know we can compete with Apopka’s record with Mayor John Land.

 

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

No doubt much the same as you get for being a constant apologist (kinda like Baghdad Bob) for broken promises that stretch until the end of time. It’s certainly good to know we can compete with Apopka’s record with Mayor John Land.

I don't constantly flog the same old tired petty, personal agenda that everyone has long ago gotten sick of hearing about and which nobody but you cares anything about.

We've got a state of the art PAC that was started more or less when promised and the second phase of which is nearly completed.

If you can tell us how it is somehow the Mayor's fault that fundraising and construction took awhile longer than you approve of,  please explain it.

Otherwise.....  

[smileguy]

5 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Progress!

I’m the I-4 Lake Ivanhoe ramp, and I’m a mess | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-i-4-ivanhoe-ramp-20210524-ka2edahaszfsdotaluprh6fzha-story.html

From The Sentinel 

I'm sorry, she's this bent out of shape over sitting at a stoplight?