Florida State Road 417
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SR_417_University_Toll_Plaza.jpg
The Central Florida GreeneWay, also known as State Road 417 or The Seminole Expressway, is a limited access toll road forming the Eastern Beltway around the city of Orlando, Florida, bypassing Interstate 4. The GreeneWay was constructed by the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority or OOCEA, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, and the Florida Department of Transportation in multiple phases from 1987 to 2002. The road was posthumously named after former OOCEA chairman Jim Greene.
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History
Phase I: The Central Florida GreeneWay
The first phase of the 417 extended from the Martin Andersen Bee Line Expressway in the South to Aloma Avenue in Seminole County, Florida. It included an interchange with the Spessard Holland East-West Expressway, and allowed drivers to bypass the crowded State Road 436 to get to and from their homes.
The OOCEA began construction of phase I in July 1987 and the road was opened to the public on December 16, 1988. The total cost of Phase I was $105 million, with $35 million being spent on acquiring the right-of-way for the six mile route.
Phase II: The Southeastern Beltway
Phase II, the Southeastern Beltway was considered one of the most important parts of the GreeneWay because motorists could use this portion to travel from downtown Orlando to the Orlando International Airport without ever getting off the expressway system.
The OOCEA began construction of the Southeastern Beltway, the 7.6 mile extension of the GreeneWay connecting Spessard Holland East-West Expressway and the Bee Line Expressway began in January of 1989. The road opened ahead of schedule in July of 1990. The 7.6 mile route cost $72 million, with an estimated $13 million being spent on acquiring the right-of-way.
Phase III: The Southern Connector
The Southern Connector was to become a route extending from the Bee Line Expressway all the way to State Road 535. OOCEA began construction of the 22-mile road in November of 1991 and completed construction July 1, 1993. The cost of the route totaled $273 million.
Phase IV: The Seminole Expressway
Because Seminole County is not in OOCEA's jurisdiction, the remainder of State Road 417 was constructed, ultimately, by Florida's Turnpike District. An interim Seminole County Expressway Authority had been set up, which ultimately transferred control to the Turnpike. This section of 417 was to extend from its current Northern terminus at Aloma Avenue to US 17/92 in Northern Seminole County, just 6 miles from Interstate 4 in the North. Construction of the 12-mile, $176 million route began in 1990 and completed behind schedule in May 1994. This portion of State Road 417 is known as the Seminole Expressway because it was built in Seminole County, and therefore not subject to the OOCEA's naming conventions.
Phase V: Southern Connector Extension
The 6.4-mile missing link between Interstate 4 and the GreeneWay was a complicated route to finish. The complexity stemmed from the sheer number of governmental and corporate entities that were involved: OOCEA, Walt Disney World, Osceola County, private landowners, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and Florida's Turnpike District. The agreement that was reached included a 12.4-mile Osceola Parkway, as well as the 6.4-mile Southern Connector Extension.
The Florida Department of Transportation began construction of the 6.4-mile missing link in 1994 and completed construction in mid 1996. The project cost almost $153 million, with $74 million coming from contributions from the private parties involved in building this route. It was now possible to get from Walt Disney World to the Orlando International Airport without ever driving on the congested Interstate 4 route.
Phase VI: The Northern link to I-4
The Seminole County Expressway Authority again teamed up with Florida's Turnpike District to construct the 6-mile road linking up to Interstate 4 in the North. Originally tabled because of environmental concerns, construction began in October of 1999 and was completed seven months ahead of schedule on September 15, 2002. Now, Orlando had a completely limited-access bypass around Interstate 4.
External links
- Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (http://www.expresswayauthority.com/)
- Florida's Turnpike District (http://www.dot.state.fl.us/turnpikepio/)
- Florida Department of Transportation (http://www.dot.state.fl.us/)