Interstate 4
Overview
Located wholly within the Sunshine State, Interstate 4 comprises a southwest to northeast route across the Florida peninsula. The freeway connects the metropolitan areas of Tampa-St. Petersburg, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Orlando and Daytona Beach. With the ever expanding population and development in the state, I-4 is a major transportation corridor that was inadequate at its original four lanes. Various construction programs completed between the mid 1990s and 2008 improved the capacity of the route between Tampa and Orlando, with six-lane expansion through Volusia County finished in Spring 2017.
The entire length of Interstate 4 doubles as State Road 400. SR 400 extends east as a stand alone route from the freeway end at I-95 to U.S. 1 along the Daytona Beach and South Daytona city line. The XPress 400 toll plan related to the SR 400 numbering of I-4.
Through Orange and Seminole Counties along with the city of Orlando, a variety of improvements were proposed, most of which were controversial. In October 2003, the “Mobility 20/20” tax plan proposed an expanded Interstate 4 through the metropolitan area, but that was rejected by voters. One of the reasons cited for the failure of this tax was opposition to toll lanes on I-4. Nevertheless, the idea returned in March 2005.
During that time, officials proposed a managed lanes concept that is similar to the reversible and high occupancy vehicle lane concept found in Southern California, such as California State Route 91 (Riverside Freeway) and Interstate 15 (Escondido Freeway). These highways feature managed lanes in the median that can be adjusted to allow for more traffic in either direction. High occupancy vehicles use the lanes for free, while single occupancy vehicles are charged an electronic toll. Named the XPress 400 and outlined along I-4 from SR 435 (Kirkman Road) to SR 434, the toll lanes were estimated to cost over $1.5 billion to complete in 2005. Under the management of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, the project proposed constructing new toll lanes in the median, adding a continuous fourth lane in both directions, straightening out some sections of the freeway, and redesigning interchanges. Completion was envisioned by 2013.1
The Trans4mation project resulted in some improvements to area interchanges, such as the building of a new flyover from I-4 west to John Young Parkway and completion of Phase 1 of the I-4 and SR 408 (East West Expressway) interchange upgrade. The remainder of work is now apart of the I-4 Ultimate Project. The current initiative focuses on 21 miles of Interstate 4, from south of SR 435 (Kirkman Road) in Orange County to north of SR 434 in Seminole County. The $2.3-billion project kicked off in early 2015 and runs through 2021. Work rebuilds 15 interchanges, replaces 75 bridges and adds four Express Lanes along the median of I-4.
Parallel U.S. Routes
Interstate 4 parallels U.S. 92 eastward from Tampa to Lakeland, with the two running close by through Mango and Plant City. Where I-4 shifts northeast, U.S. 92 stays east, leaving the freeway for Auburndale, Winter Haven and Haines City. U.S. 92 turns north at Haines City along an overlap with U.S. 17 to Kissimmee, but staying somewhat distant from I-4. U.S. 441 combines with the pair from Kissimmee through Orlando along Orange Blossom Trail, which converges with the I-4 corridor southwest of Downtown Orlando.
U.S. 441 branches northwest to Apopka at the U.S. 17/92 eastern turn onto Colonial Drive ahead of I-4. The pair extend northward to Maitland, Casselberry and Lake Mary to cross paths with I-4 again at Sanford. U.S. 17 parts ways with U.S. 92 and the I-4 vicinity at DeLand for Palatka while U.S. 92 turns east through Tomoka Wildlife Management Area. Two wye interchanges and a connector join I-4 and U.S. 92 to the west of their respective interchanges with I-95 at Daytona Beach.
History
As originally planned, Interstate 4 continued southwest from the Downtown Interchange with I-275 in Tampa across the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg. The Howard Frankland Bridge was dedicated on January 15, 1960. Named after W. Howard Frankland, a Tampa banker and former State Turnpike and State Road Board member, the 15,872 foot long span was the third bridge between St. Petersburg and Tampa. Construction of the crossing and approaches cost $16 million partitioned into three major contracts.2
The U.S. Department of Transportation released an official notice of approval for the extension of Interstate 75 from north of Palmetto to Miami in January 1969. This action redesignated Interstate 4 southwest from the Downtown Interchange in Tampa to Pinellas County as I-75. It also incorporated the Sunshine Skyway and three miles of U.S. 19.3
Significant milestones in the history of Interstate 4:4
- 1959 – First segment of I-4 opened from Plant City to Lakeland. I-4 under construction (1) from Tampa to Plant City and (2) on the Howard Frankland Bridge (which was then part of Interstate 4)
- 1960 – I-4 opened along (1) the Howard Frankland Bridge, (2) from East Tampa east to Lakeland, and (3) from Lake Monroe to near Lake Helen. Proposed sections that year included those in St. Petersburg, in Tampa, from Lakeland to Orlando, and from Lake Helen to Tiger Bay State Forest.
- 1961 – I-4 opened from Lakeland to Orlando and under construction from Lake Helen east to Daytona Beach. Sections still unconstructed included segments in St. Petersburg, in Tampa, and from Orlando to Sanford.
- 1963 – The only section of I-4 in Tampa that had still not yet built was between Armenia and 22nd Street.
- 1963 – In Orlando, Interstate 4 was complete up to Robinson Street and was labeled “Orlando Expressway.”
- 1969 – Interstate 75 extended south, sharing an alignment with I-4 from Tampa southwest to St. Petersburg.
- 1971 – I-4 truncated east to the Downtown Interchange with I-75 (renumbered Interstate 275 in 1973) in Tampa. I-4 now complete from I-275 in Tampa to I-95 in Daytona Beach.
Route Information
East End – Daytona Beach, FL
West End – Tampa, FL
Branch Routes – 0
Mileage – 132.30
Cities – Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, Daytona Beach
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-4 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Source: 2018 AADT – Florida Traffic Online (FDOT)
SR 408 (East-West Expressway) eastbound on the approach to Interstate 4 (Exit 10) in Orlando. Ramps to I-4 opened in 2008 replaced a turnpike style trumpet-to-trumpet connection. 05/16/08
The exchange between Interstate 4 and SR 408 (East-West Expressway) is one of the busiest along the 132-mile freeway. The Ultimate I-4 project will complete the redesign of the exchange into a high-speed interchange.
Interstate 75 was extended south to Naples in 1971, replacing the western most stretch of I-4 from the Downtown Interchange in Tampa to St. Petersburg in Pinellas County. While in the transition period that year, General Drafting opted to show both routes cosigned across the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The 1963 Florida Official Highway Map shows that the bulk of Interstate 4 was already open to traffic. The freeway was completed northward to Robinson Street (SR 526) that year. Construction of the Interstate 4 overall was eventually finished in 1966.
Interstate 275 passes below ramps with I-4 at the Downtown Interchange in Tampa. 04/26/16
Adjacent Toll Roads
Several toll roads were constructed to provide an alternate to Interstate 4 and serve as commuter routes throughout Central Florida. These routes include Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) at Tampa; Polk Parkway (SR 570) around Lakeland; Central Florida GreeneWay / Seminole Expressway (SR 417) around the east side of Orlando and Daniel Webster Western Beltway / Apopka Expressway (SR 429) around the west side of Orlando. Wekiva Parkway (SR 429), extending the north from John Land Apopka Expressway to I-4 at Sanford, is currently under construction.
Highway Guides
East End –
– Daytona Beach, Florida
East at
Reconstruction of the systems interchange linking I-4 and I-95 east through Spring 2020 shifted traffic for SR 400 (Beville Road) onto a separate roadway (Exit 132A). The mainline continues with two lanes to collector distributor roadways linking I-95 with U.S. 92 (International Speedway Boulevard). 03/26/20
An end shield formally concludes the freeway ahead of a service station and Andros Isles Boulevard. SR 400 extends east 4.2 miles to U.S. 1 (Ridgewood Avenue) at South Daytona. Connecting roads (CR 4009 and SR 483) serve interests to Daytona International Speedway, Daytona International Airport (DAB) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 05/24/17
South at
North at
A collector distributor roadway separates from I-95 north through both interchanges with SR 400 (Beville Road) east / Interstate 4 west and U.S. 92 (International Speedway Boulevard). 11/06/19
Costing $206.22 million, the 13.85 mile long project reconfiguring the systems interchange with I-4/SR 400 and widening I-95 ran from early 2015 to Summer 2020. 11/06/19
West at
East End Throwback
South at
East at
West End
– Tampa, Florida
West at
North at
Interstate 275 travels over a series of a viaducts north of the Tampa central business district east to the Downtown Interchange (Exit 45B) with I-4. 05/24/19
I-275 north reduces to three through lanes below the flyovers with I-4 as Exit 45B departs for Ybor City, Lakeland and Orlando. 05/24/19
South at
The flyover for Interstate 4 east (Exit 46B) departs in a half mile just beyond the Floribraska Avenue off-ramp (Exit 46A). 05/24/19
West End Throwback
West at
South at
Sources:
- “Toll idea advances despite opposition.” Orlando Sentinel (FL), March 16, 2005.
- “Frankland Bridge Opens to Traffic.” St. Petersburg Time (FL), January 16, 1960.
- “I-4 Designated I-75 Into St. Petersburg.” St. Petersburg Time (FL), January 4, 1969.
- Florida’s Interstates: A Half-Century of Progress.
http://www.fl-interstate.comFlorida Department of Transportation (FDOT) web site. - 408464-1 I-4 Widening from SR 44 (East New York Avenue) to East of I-95.
http://www.cflroads.com/project/408464-1/I4_Widening_from_SR_44_East_New_York_Avenue_to_East_of_I-95CFLRoads, FDOT project web site. - 242715-2 I-95 Widening and Systems Interchange Reconstruction Design-Build from North of SR 44 to North of US 92. CFLRoads, FDOT project web site.
Page updated October 23, 2020.