Construction work is now well in hand for Florida’s important Wekiva Parkway project. This 40km stretch of SR 429 should be ready for traffic in 2023. In 2022, 32km of the parkway were open to traffic, and some of the non-tolled, roadway improvements had been made.
Costing US$1.6 billion, the road runs around the West side of Orlando and is expected to cut traffic congestion in the area. The project is being managed jointly by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.
The Wekiva Parkway will connect to SR 417, completing the beltway around Central Florida, while helping to protect the natural resources surrounding the Wekiva River. This project includes $500 million of non-toll road improvements including widening 11km of SR 46 in Lake and Seminole Counties, rebuilding the US 441/SR 46 interchange in Mount Dora, shifting the CR 46A connection to SR 46 so wildlife can move more safely between habitats. It also includes providing non-tolled, one-lane service roads parallel to the parkway in part of east Lake and Seminole Counties and building a 16km, multi-use trail along portions of the parkway in east Lake and Seminole counties.
