There will soon be a new place to get on and off I-4 in the attractions area.

Construction will begin in the coming months on a new I-4 interchange with Daryl Carter Parkway.


What You Need To Know

  • FDOT officials say a new interchange will be built at I-4 and Daryl Carter Parkway

  • Experts say the new interchange will help as the O-Town West area grows

  • Construction could begin by the end of the year

“(Daryl Carter Parkway) was just a road, nothing on it, until really the past year getting this O-Town West development up,” said Ricky Barnett, of Fine Ink Studios.

Daryl Carter Parkway has seen tremendous growth, especially between I-4 and Apopka Vineland Road, anchored by O-Town West, a multi-use development with restaurants, shops, entertainment and apartments.

“My commute right now is like 15-20 minutes," said Barnett. "I may live like three miles away."

With that growth comes traffic.

Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation say they understand the issue and plans are underway to build a new interchange to provide access to I-4 from Daryl Carter Parkway.

Three new ramps and a diverging diamond interchange will be built.

The FDOT project calls for exit ramps from both directions of I-4 to Daryl Carter Parkway, in addition to an entrance ramp to I-4 east.

The work will also include the extension of a single I-4 west express lane.

Construction could get underway by the end of the year, FDOT officials said, noting that a westbound I-4 entrance ramp will be built as a part of future work.

Barnett said he thinks the project will help as more businesses open in O-Town West.

“Getting into this area once everything is open is going to be hard,” he said. “So, I think that getting people from I-4 directly here is going to be much better than trying to go up Turkey Lake, or Apopka Vineland to Daryl Carter, because there is just not enough road to get all the people here.”