'I-4 Ultimate' project begins new lane shift Saturday near Lake Ivanhoe

The I-4 Ultimate project's first major traffic shift is here. Several lanes along Interstate 4, near Downtown Orlando, are shifting beginning Saturday night at 10 p.m.

Tractor-trailer driver, Justin Lee, has a bond with the roads he drives.

"I love it. I love it," Lee said, with a smile. "Been doin' it my whole life."

He doesn't love I-4, mainly during construction. He uses the interstate almost daily.

 "It's frustrating, yeah," Lee said, as his expression changed. "I hope this works."

He was talking about the I-4 Ultimate project.

Saturday night, a major lane shift began in the westbound lanes near Ivanhoe Boulevard down to State Road 50.

David Parks, a spokesman for the I-4 Ultimate Project told Fox 35's David Williams, "This is the first night of a two-night shift that ultimately pushes all the westbound traffic to the right toward the outside edge creating a work zone between the eastbound lanes and the shifted westbound lanes."

Saturday night, crews will be striping, placing barrier walls and barrels.

The project was delayed a week because of weather.

Parks said they filled in a gap between a service road and I-4 with asphalt.

"The asphalt wasn't quite ready last week," he said. "This is a long-term shift. It's in place for at least two years."

Even so, Lee said he's planning on avoiding this area as much as he can during this first round of construction.

"Because when it comes to construction, and especially I-4, it just gets backed up," Lee said. "Nobody pays attention to what's going on."

Parks said the lane shift is going be a drastic change. He said give yourself some extra time and patience.

That new traffic pattern is expected to be ready for drivers in time for Monday morning's commute.

Just go to www.I4Ultimate.com for the latest information regarding the I-4 Ultimate Project.

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