New I-4, Daryl Carter Parkway interchange opens

Traveling to restaurants, retail and tourist attractions around the Daryl Carter Parkway and Interstate 4 interchange has been made easier with the opening of three new ramps connecting the two roadways. 

The Florida Department of Transportation, Orange County, MetroPlan Orlando and others celebrated the opening of a new diverging diamond interchange at I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway Friday, July 18. The interchange, which will be I-4 Exit 70, opened Saturday, July 19. 

The interchange, part of I-4 Beyond the Ultimate, will provide additional access to the area as well as relieve congestion at the I-4 and Apopka-Vineland Road interchange. 

Three ramps now connect directly to Daryl Carter Parkway and will give eastbound and westbound drivers on I-4 access to the parkway from two exit ramps. Drivers also can access eastbound I-4 right from Daryl Carter Parkway. 

A westbound I-4 on-ramp will be constructed in the future after two other projects that will allow FDOT to extend the Express lanes on I-4 in the westbound direction by 10 miles are complete. The extension will be between Orlando and the new Moving I-4 Forward project in Osceola County, and the lanes will open to traffic when the projects at I-4 and Sand Lake Road and I-4 and Apopka-Vineland Road are completed.

The Daryl Carter Parkway interchange also has enhanced pedestrian safety features, including new bicycle lanes, sidewalks protected by concrete barriers and crosswalks.

“With more than a quarter million vehicles a day traveling through nearby interchanges on I-4, these improvements are not only wanted, they’re needed,” FDOT District Five Secretary John E. Tyler said. “Our goals are to relieve congestion in this rapidly growing area, enhance safety, and give local residents and visitors new options to travel through Central Florida.”

Orange County has grown significantly, with more than 100,000 people moving to the area in the past five years. 

“Given this level of growth, transportation remains a top priority for my administration,” Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings said. “The Daryl Carter Parkway area, in particular, has experienced tremendous growth with the addition of new homes, schools, hotels, attractions, and the opening of retail and restaurants nearby.”

FDOT converted the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass to a diverging diamond traffic pattern in the spring in preparation for the new interchange. 

The diverging diamond traffic pattern briefly moves traffic on Daryl Carter Parkway to the left side of the roadway at a traffic signal, then back to the right side at a second signal, eliminating left turns across oncoming traffic. 

Cindi Lane, the FDOT District 5 public information director, said the diverging diamond traffic pattern has become more popular in Central Florida because they are safer and more efficient than conventional interchanges. 

“The way that they are safer is that they eliminate the left turns across oncoming traffic,” Lane said. “In our language, we sometimes call that conflict points. They’ve reduced the number of conflict points and that greatly reduces the risk of crashes. When we do have crashes, they’re typically not as severe.”

Without left turns, there no longer is a need for a left-turn traffic signal, which reduces the number of signal phases from four to two. This allows for longer green lights, which results in more traffic going through the traffic signal, Lane said. 

There are diverging diamond traffic patterns at Champions Gate in Osceola County as well as the I-4 and Sand Lake Road interchange.

Lane said adding new exits to I-4 does not happen often. 

“New interchanges are fairly infrequent on I-4, but there are times when the traffic demand requires a new connection,” she said. “We’re obviously really excited about this new connection for the community.”