Boycott All Florida Toll Roads Especially in Orlando

[AONE]

Tolls are optional. There is always another way to get there. I think the waste of money by the Epass authority is as big a concern. They spend billions on the 408 and yet we still have the same ramp to get on i-4...Really? and now we have a bridge to nowhere, that makes sense. The changes they make appear to be the most expensive options. The over passes for the 417 ...no wonder they spent billions.

For me I can run down Lake Underhill and avoid the tolls on the 408....unless I am heading to Ocoee... an hour on Colonial isn't worth it. I choose to avoid them as often as I can, and still I spend $120/month

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Which is apparently the portion (or part) that is going to be torn up soon for an improvement project. I cannot imagine what that's going to do in terms of traffic congestion.

It's going to suck majorly in terms of congestion. I honestly don't know how they're going to do it without tearing down some buildings that are just feet from I-4. I will definitely be using SunRail when it opens. I'll just drive to the Sand Lake Station and ride into downtown. It will still be another couple years before the Meadow Woods station opens which will be closest to me.

When I lived in Las Vegas, they widened US Highway 95 from six lanes to ten lanes and driving at rush hour was awful. My apartment was 22 miles from my job and driving home at 5pm often took an hour or more due to the congestion on I-15 as well as the 95, I never got above 30 mph for that whole stretch

The current backup on I4 usually starts around Conroy and ends either at the 436 or the 434 exit. I would not be surprised if the backup starts around the 528 or even all the way down to the exit for 535 in the Disney area. If it gets that bad I will take Turkey Lake Rd to Sand Lake instead of I-4

The traffic will get that bad OR, it will be like 'Carmageddon' that was expected in LA when they closed the 405 and then it wasn't so bad. Something like that may happen to us, where we expect it to be bad but then it isn't

I think with the construction that people will use common sense and ride the train and I4 won't be as bad as a lot of people expect

Considering the growth here though, they can widen all they want and add more public transit options all they want, in 15-20 years Orlando's traffic will be comparable to Southern California

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Which is apparently the portion (or part) that is going to be torn up soon for an improvement project. I cannot imagine what that's going to do in terms of traffic congestion.

really Kyle? Of all people you know good and well what it is going to do in terms of traffic congestion hhaha. Going to be a nightmare.

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by IAm_FloridaBorn

really Kyle? Of all people you know good and well what it is going to do in terms of traffic congestion hhaha. Going to be a nightmare.

You know I had to go to Downtown Orlando this past Thursday during rush hour. I was on I-4 around 6pm and from Conroy to Downtown, the traffic congestion was bad but you know it was moving! We were about between 25-35 mph with more time closer to 35 than 25.

So yeah the road gets clogged but not so clogged to the point where you aren't moving much. Maybe north of Downtown it is worth. But between the Conroy and Amelia exits it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, so as far as I-4's current state, enjoy it while it lasts

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by DavieJ89

You know I had to go to Downtown Orlando this past Thursday during rush hour. I was on I-4 around 6pm and from Conroy to Downtown, the traffic congestion was bad but you know it was moving! We were about between 25-35 mph with more time closer to 35 than 25.

That's without incidents though. Throw in an accident, broken down vehicle or someone changing a tire and see what happens...rubbernecking delays are pretty frequent.

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

That's without incidents though. Throw in an accident, broken down vehicle or someone changing a tire and see what happens...rubbernecking delays are pretty frequent.

Perhaps I was just lucky that night. I have Apple Maps on my iPhone and it shows how congested roads are in terms of traffic in a similar way Google maps is by color code, red obviously being the slowest, if the roads aren't congested, the will be no color. Apple Maps also shows where construction is as well as accidents. My bad if I sound like an advertisement but I never leave my house around rush hour without checking out Apple Maps first as I'm usually in Downtown Orlando 2-3 times a week

The good thing about living in Far South Orlando though is traffic on John Young and OBT is always moving at a good speed, even during rush hour, as long as I stay south of the 528 its not bad. I wish they would hurry up and finish widening John Young between 528 and Sand Lake Road, makes traffic hell through that stretch and that project should have been done years ago

[poodlestix]

A little good news is perhaps on the horizon.

Airport toll plaza's demise could save cash for some motorists - OrlandoSentinel.com