Crews working to fix flooding problems on I-4

Crews worked overnight Monday on Interstate 4 to try and prevent more headaches for drivers after heavy rain flooded parts of the highway.

On Monday afternoon, the Florida Department of Transportation closed the right-hand lane of I-4 going westbound by Princeton to prevent people from driving into flooding. 

The lane reopened once the rain cleared.

FDOT communications manager Steve Olson sent the following statement:

"I-4 construction crews are closing the right lane (outside lane) this afternoon on westbound I-4 near Princeton Street. This is a preemptive measure to allow crews to stage equipment and personnel to mitigate issues with flooding that have occurred in this area during heavy rains. The closure offers construction crews flexibility and faster response time if heavy rains cause flooding. This includes the ability to close additional lanes more quickly, if necessary. These measures will be in place when the onset of heavy rain is imminent, or for necessary maintenance needs as crews try to solve the cause of the flooding. The department continues to work with the contractor on long term solutions as plans proceed for shifting traffic onto new lanes in the coming months, which will take traffic off the older sections of I-4 that have been prone to flooding."

Meanwhile, contractor SGL said they will be changing traffic patterns to adjust for the flooding.

SGL Constructors sent the following statement:

"Recent heavy rains have caused flooding issues on I-4, primarily north of downtown Orlando. SGL Constructors has identified that these lower-lying areas are susceptible to water accumulation and we are working on immediate solutions to mitigate flooding in these areas. This includes expediting planned traffic shifts to move eastbound vehicles to the newly-elevated permanent roadway, and to move westbound traffic into a new configuration that will avoid these flood-prone areas. In addition, there are crews stationed 24/7 to promptly address water accumulation throughout the corridor, and water pumping capacity has been increased. Public safety is our highest priority, and we are working closely with FDOT to identify longer-term measures to prevent flooding during construction moving forward."