ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A long-discussed International Drive connection in south Orange County remains unbuilt because the road is tied to future development of nearby land, according to Orange County records.
The gap is between a southern segment of International Drive and the main portion of I-Drive near State Road 417. Bob Vogel, an AARP Driver Safety Program volunteer who lives in Osceola County, said a connection could make it easier for drivers to reach the tourist district and State Road 417.
“Why can’t I turn right here, connect up with that road, and go up and catch the 417, or continue up International Drive if I wanted to?” Vogel said. “But can’t do it. It doesn’t come down there.”
Vogel said when he drives north from Osceola County, he often takes State Road 535 and hopes to reach State Road 417. To do that, he said he has to travel through the State Road 535 and State Road 536 intersection.
“Here we are in the middle of the day. This is probably when the traffic is the least, and yet we’ll probably still go through two or three cycles of light in order to get down and make the left-hand turn here,” Vogel said.
Vogel said connecting the southern portion of International Drive to the main segment near State Road 417 could save him 10 to 15 minutes during the busiest parts of the day.
“There’s just a plot of land that simply appears to be undeveloped,” Vogel said. “It’s a fairly short, probably only a quarter- to half-mile stretch where the two parts of International Drive could connect.”
Orange County officials said there are plans for a future connection, but they depend on development of the property.
A 2006 agreement between Orange County and the property owner states that if the land is developed, the company will build an International Drive extension between State Roads 535 and 536. In exchange for building the road and donating the land to the county, the developer would receive road impact fee credits.
The 58-acre property has changed ownership since that agreement — it is currently owned by Gissy Holdings I-Drive Property LLC, the same group behind Westgate Resorts.
The Orange County Commission approved a land-use change in 2023 for the property that would allow 200 hotel rooms, 2,800 multifamily residential units and 470,000 square feet of commercial space.
However, representatives of the property owners said there are no current plans to develop the site.
That means the road connection will not be built for now.
Vogel said he was glad to learn more about the plans for the land. He said he believes the connection would make travel easier and safer for drivers.
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