Interstate 4 is the primary north-south artery through Central Florida, connecting Tampa to Lakeland, Orlando and Daytona Beach. It enters Orange County and passes through Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort.
It also serves major population areas in Seminole and Polk counties. Over the years, heavy development along Interstate 4 has led to several toll roads providing alternate routes and relief. These include the Central Florida GreeneWay / Seminole Expressway (bypass to the east of Orlando), Daniel Webster Western Beltway / Wekiva Parkway (bypass to the west of Orlando), and Polk Parkway around Lakeland.
Despite the traffic growth, Interstate 4 remains a heavily used highway in the Central Florida area. It is the main north-south artery through the Orlando metropolitan area, passing through Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort.
The highway is also a critical connector for the area’s tourism industry, as it connects to numerous attractions and hotels. This influx of visitors has increased traffic, but it has also caused congestion and serious safety issues.
I-4 has been a focus for a number of reconstruction and upgrade projects, many of which are in the process of moving forward. Among these are the I-4 Beyond the Ultimate project, which continues construction through 2022 and makes capacity improvements with auxiliary lanes and a diamond interchange at County Line Road.
A new study by Teletrac shows that I-4 between Tampa and Orlando is the deadliest stretch of highway in the nation, with more than 1.2 deaths per mile. This is a serious problem in a region that is home to one of the country’s most diverse and politically important populations.
