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Ask most Central Floridians what the key to happiness is and they will tell you.... Avoid I-4. Locals have a love-hate relationship with this iconic Florida highway. At the right time of day, it can get you quickly to either side of the state within an hour or so. Pick the wrong time of day or hit an accident and it can feel like you are sitting in a parking lot.
Stretching across the state from Atlantic Coast to Gulf Coast, I-4 created three major cities and helped a mouse turn Central Florida into the theme park capital of the world.
I-4's Route Through Central Florida
I-4 Runs from Downtown Tampa to Daytona Beach. It passes through 6 counties and is 132 miles in total length. It runs a total of 26 miles through Hillsborough County with ramps in Tampa, East Lake-Orient Park, Mango, Dover and Plant City and connections with I-275, the Selmon Expressway and I-75. In Polk County it covers 29 miles with ramps for Lakeland and Auburndale. In Osceola County, it spans only 10 miles but this is where you will find the entrances to Walt Disney World. There are ramps for the Four Corners area, Celebration and Kissimmee in this stretch.
Orange County marks the midway point and covers 25 miles with ramps in Lake Buena Vista, Williamsburg (Sea World & Beach Line Expressway), Orlando with connections to the Florida Turnpike and the 408 Expressway, Winter Park and Maitland. Seminole County is up next and covers 15 miles with ramps for Altamonte Springs, Wekiwa Springs, Lake Mary, Sanford and Lake Monroe. There are also connections to the 417 Expressway in this section. Volusia County with 27 miles is the final leg with ramps in Deltona, Orange City, Lake Helen, Deland and the final terminus in Daytona onto I-95. Coincidentally, right next to the Daytona International Speedway.
History of I-4
I-4 was one of the first highways constructed in Florida. Curiously enough, the first section was built between Plant City and Lakeland in 1959. The Tampa to Orlando section was completed by 1962. It took a few more years to bring the highway into the actual cities of Orlando and Tampa. In Tampa, part of what is now 275 was originally part of I-4. The entire route was completed in the late 1960's.
Points of Interest Along I-4
You are guaranteed to see some unique, iconic and just weird things along I-4. Starting from Tampa and running North, they include:
- Ybor City & the Port of Tampa
- MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
- Air-stream Ranch (Florida's Stonehenge)
- Dinosaur World
- Fantasy of Flight
- Disney World (look for the mouse shaped utility pole)
- Sea World Orlando
- Universal Studios Florida
- Amway Arena (home of the NBA Orlando Magic)
- The St Johns River (Florida's longest river which also flows NORTH to Jacksonville)
- Daytona International Speedway (home of the Daytona 500)
I-4 Ultimate and Beyond
The future for I-4 is bright, modern and messy. A multi billion dollar project called I-4 Ultimate is completely revising 21 miles of road through Orlando with will add new lanes, add express toll lanes, new interchanges, new bridges and straighten curves to reduce accidents and traffic congestion.
Updates to the Tampa section are being studied as well as a commuter rail extension through Volusia county to Daytona Beach. Get the latest updates on future plans for I-4 at the I-4 Ultimate site.
