Drivers in Central Florida are one step closer to a new route that could ease congestion between Orange and Lake counties. Work is accelerating on the State Road 516 (Lake/Orange Expressway), a 4.4-mile toll road designed to improve east-west travel between Orange County and Lake County.The project is being built by the Central Florida Expressway Authority and will eventually connect drivers from State Road 429 to U.S. 27, creating a new corridor across the western edge of the Orlando metro area.Work underway on major interchangeConstruction crews are currently focusing on the future interchange where SR-516 will connect to SR-429 in West Orange County.”This project is going to impact a lot of people, especially here in West Orange County,” said WESH 2 traffic anchor Meaghan Mackey while reporting from the construction site. “I’m standing on the future SR-516 interchange. This will connect to SR-429, and this is where crews will be doing a lot of construction work over the next week.”Transportation officials say the new roadway is intended to address a long-standing gap in east-west connectivity between the two counties.”There’s not a good way to get between the two,” said Brian Hutchings, Senior Manager of Community Relations for the Central Florida Expressway Authority. “If there’s an accident or some other type of impact, people can get stuck in traffic for a considerable amount of time.”Currently, many drivers rely on State Road 50 or U.S. Route 192 to travel between the counties, both of which can become congested during peak hours.High-tech roadway plannedSR-516 is also expected to become one of the region’s most technologically advanced roadways.A half-mile section of the expressway will serve as a pilot project to wirelessly charge electric vehicles while they are driving at highway speeds.”It’s going to be a half-mile section that will charge electric vehicles at highway speed,” Hutchings said.Officials say the project also includes several “context-sensitive” features, including a wildlife tunnel to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor and a new multi-use trail that will connect to the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail system.Overnight closures planned on SR-429Drivers should prepare for temporary impacts while construction continues.Overnight closures are scheduled on SR-429 between Seidel Road and New Independence Parkway from Sunday, March 8, through Saturday, March 14, to allow crews to continue work on the interchange.There will be detours in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.Avalon Road is the main detour, but drivers should follow the signs.Timeline and costThe SR-516 project is being built in three segments and is expected to cost about $546 million. Construction began in April 2024 and is projected to continue through 2029.Transportation leaders expect the first segment of the expressway to open in spring 2027, offering drivers their first look at the new route designed to improve travel times and support growth in the region.Once completed, the roadway is expected to improve regional mobility, support economic development in Lake County’s Wellness Way area, and provide another evacuation route during major storms.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

Drivers in Central Florida are one step closer to a new route that could ease congestion between Orange and Lake counties. Work is accelerating on the State Road 516 (Lake/Orange Expressway), a 4.4-mile toll road designed to improve east-west travel between Orange County and Lake County.

The project is being built by the Central Florida Expressway Authority and will eventually connect drivers from State Road 429 to U.S. 27, creating a new corridor across the western edge of the Orlando metro area.

Work underway on major interchange

Construction crews are currently focusing on the future interchange where SR-516 will connect to SR-429 in West Orange County.

“This project is going to impact a lot of people, especially here in West Orange County,” said WESH 2 traffic anchor Meaghan Mackey while reporting from the construction site. “I’m standing on the future SR-516 interchange. This will connect to SR-429, and this is where crews will be doing a lot of construction work over the next week.”

Transportation officials say the new roadway is intended to address a long-standing gap in east-west connectivity between the two counties.

“There’s not a good way to get between the two,” said Brian Hutchings, Senior Manager of Community Relations for the Central Florida Expressway Authority. “If there’s an accident or some other type of impact, people can get stuck in traffic for a considerable amount of time.”

Currently, many drivers rely on State Road 50 or U.S. Route 192 to travel between the counties, both of which can become congested during peak hours.

High-tech roadway planned

SR-516 is also expected to become one of the region’s most technologically advanced roadways.

A half-mile section of the expressway will serve as a pilot project to wirelessly charge electric vehicles while they are driving at highway speeds.

“It’s going to be a half-mile section that will charge electric vehicles at highway speed,” Hutchings said.

Officials say the project also includes several “context-sensitive” features, including a wildlife tunnel to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor and a new multi-use trail that will connect to the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail system.

Overnight closures planned on SR-429

Drivers should prepare for temporary impacts while construction continues.

Overnight closures are scheduled on SR-429 between Seidel Road and New Independence Parkway from Sunday, March 8, through Saturday, March 14, to allow crews to continue work on the interchange.

There will be detours in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.

Avalon Road is the main detour, but drivers should follow the signs.

Timeline and cost

The SR-516 project is being built in three segments and is expected to cost about $546 million. Construction began in April 2024 and is projected to continue through 2029.

Transportation leaders expect the first segment of the expressway to open in spring 2027, offering drivers their first look at the new route designed to improve travel times and support growth in the region.

Once completed, the roadway is expected to improve regional mobility, support economic development in Lake County’s Wellness Way area, and provide another evacuation route during major storms.