State Road 417 (SR 417), also known as the Central Florida GreeneWay, Seminole County Expressway (depending on the location), Eastern Beltway and Orlando East Bypass, is a controlled-access toll road forming the eastern beltway around the city of Orlando, Florida, United States. It is owned and maintained by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. The CFX section was posthumously named after former Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority chairman Jim Greene.
 State Road 417 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SR 417 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by CFX and FTE | ||||
| Length | 54.061 mi[1] (87.003 km) | |||
| Existed | December 1988[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  I-4 in Celebration | |||
   US 17 / US 92 / US 441 in Hunter's Creek
| ||||
| North end |  I-4 / SR 429 in Sanford | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Florida | |||
| Counties | Osceola, Orange, Seminole | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
SR 417 was originally planned to be a full beltway around Orlando. Eventually, the beltway was divided, with the west side being designated SR 429, and the east side retaining the SR 417 designation. Until 2024, the two expressways were non-continuous. SR 429 is now extended via Wekiva Parkway to meet SR 417 in the Sanford/Heathrow area.
Route description
editAlthough SR 417 is signed north–south throughout its entire route, it runs east–west between Celebration and CR 15. After the latter road, it runs north–south through the rest of its route.
The Southern Connector as well as the beltway begins at an interchange with I-4 in Celebration. This section, run by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is 6.4-mile-long (10.3 km), extending to the International Drive interchange.[3]
Between the International Drive interchange and the Orange–Seminole county line, the tollway is known as the Central Florida GreeneWay, and is operated by CFX.
The Seminole Expressway section of the tollway begins at the county line. This section, also run by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is 17-mile-long (27 km), extends to an interchange with I-4 in Sanford at the end of the beltway.[4]
Tolls
editThere are six mainline toll plazas on the tollway and have at least one express lane dedicated to E-Pass/SunPass for electronic toll collection (ETC), which do not require motorists to stop at a booth, as well as lanes dedicated to cash collection. The Celebration toll plaza has one ETC lane, and all of the others have at least two ETC lanes. The ramp toll plazas have a lane dedicated to ETC and exact change only, with no change provided.
While both E-Pass and SunPass are accepted at all interchanges along the toll road, portions maintained by CFX are signed as E-Pass and portions maintained by FTE are signed as SunPass.
History
editPhase I: The Eastern Beltway
edit
The first phase of SR 417, then termed the Eastern Beltway, extended from what was the east end of the East–West Expressway northward to SR 426 (Aloma Avenue) in Seminole County. It allowed commuters to bypass the crowded Semoran Boulevard, as well as give expressway access to the University of Central Florida.
The OOCEA began construction of phase I in July 1987 and the road was opened to the public on December 16, 1988, at a cost of $105 million, with $35 million being spent on acquiring the right-of-way for the 6-mile (9.7 km) route.
Phase II: The Southeastern Beltway
edit
Phase II, the "Southeastern Beltway", was considered one of the most important parts of the Eastern Beltway because motorists could use this portion to travel from downtown Orlando to the Orlando International Airport without ever getting off the expressway system. This portion of the GreeneWay had passed through some of the most barren portions of Orange County. It skirts the Econlockhatchee River marshes that cover some of eastern Orange and northern Osceola.
The OOCEA began construction of the Southeastern Beltway, from Colonial Drive to the Beachline Expressway in January 1989, and opened ahead of schedule in July 1990. The 7.6-mile (12.2 km) route cost $72 million, with an estimated $13 million being spent on acquiring the right-of-way.
Phase III: The Southern Connector
editThe "Southern Connector" was to become a route extending from SR 528 all the way to SR 535. The OOCEA began construction of the 22-mile (35 km) road in November 1991 and completed construction July 1, 1993, at a cost of $273 million. It was during the construction of this section that the Orange County portion of the beltway project was renamed the Central Florida GreeneWay. From 2015 through 2016, a limited interchange was completed with SR 417 and Florida's Turnpike. The remaining ramps to complete the full interchange were opened May 21, 2021.[5]
Phase IV: The Seminole Expressway
edit
The Seminole Expressway, the northern leg of SR 417, is located in Seminole County and is owned and operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. The section south of Aloma Avenue to the county line (less than one mile) was acquired from the Seminole County Expressway Authority in April 1990 as part of Florida's Turnpike Expansion Program authorized by Senate Bill 1316.
The initial stretch, from just south of Aloma to US 17/92 opened in phases in 1994. The final six miles (10 km) connect to Interstate 4 near Sanford/Lake Mary, and opened to traffic on September 15, 2002, approximately seven months ahead of the final schedule. This leg features only one mainline toll plaza (just south of CR 427), but it is also the priciest toll plaza on SR 417 at $2.50 per vehicle. This section also features the only "free movement" on SR 417. No toll is collected for motorists traveling between I-4 and Rinehart Road (whose interchange with SR 417 is used for travelers on SR 46 and CR 46A to get to and from SR 417).
Phase V: Southern Connector Extension
editDue to the multiple entities involved, which included OOCEA, Walt Disney World, Osceola County, private landowners, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, building the southernmost 6.4-mile (10.3 km) between I-4 and the GreeneWay became a complex task. Eventually, they agreed on the Southern Connector Extension, as well as the 12.4-mile (20.0 km) Osceola Parkway.
Florida's Turnpike began construction of the 6.4-mile (10.3 km) extension from the GreeneWay to I-4 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, making it possible to get from Walt Disney World to the Orlando International Airport without ever driving on Interstate 4.
Later changes
editIn 2008, the Turnpike Enterprise began a $49 million project to reconstruct the Lake Jesup toll plaza, allowing for the inclusion of SunPass/E-PASS express lanes. The project was completed in April 2011.[6]
On December 14, 2011, the northern terminus of SR 417 was extended from Interstate 4 to International Parkway. The $11.4 million project began construction on November 29, 2010.[7]
The Turnpike Enterprise and OOCEA (now CFX) agreed to build a partial interchange between SR 417 and Florida's Turnpike in the late 2000s, after negotiations dating back to a 1991 field study.[8][9] The interchange was built in two phases. The first phase, built by CFX, added ramps from southbound SR 417 to southbound Florida's Turnpike and from northbound Florida's Turnpike to northbound SR 417. Construction on the first phase began in September 2013 and opened on January 26, 2015. The second phase to complete the interchange was built by the FTE, with construction beginning in late 2014 and completed in 2017, several years ahead of its original completion date.[10][11]
In January 2015, the speed limit along the entire highway was raised to 70 mph (110 km/h) from the previous 65 mph (105 km/h) speed limit. The increase followed a study that found 85% of drivers on the highway already drove between 70–80 mph (110–130 km/h).[12]
In 2019, construction started on a new interchange between SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway), SR 417, and Interstate 4, and was completed in 2024 to finish the beltway around Orlando.[13][14]
Future
editThe OOCEA 2030 Master Plan suggested widening the entire expressway to six lanes from International Drive to the Seminole County line.[15] Florida's Turnpike Enterprise has also completed a project development & environment study (PD&E) to evaluate the widening of the Seminole Expressway, the portion of SR 417 north of University Boulevard. Construction between University Boulevard and SR 434 was scheduled to begin in 2020, but hasn't started yet as of 2023.[16]
Exit list
edit| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola | Celebration | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1 |  I-4 west / World Drive – Tampa | Half-Y interchange; I-4 exit 62 |
| 0.3[17] | 0.48 | Celebration Toll Plaza | ||||
| 1.012 | 1.629 | 2 |   Celebration Avenue to US 192 | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 2.311 | 3.719 | 3 |  Osceola Parkway (CR 522) – Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| Orange | Lake Buena Vista | 5.098 | 8.204 | 6 |     International Drive to SR 536 / SR 535 / I-4 east – Epcot, Disney Springs | Half-Y interchange, southbound exit and northbound entrance; transition from FTE to CFX maintenance |
| 6.2[17] | 10.0 | John Young Mainline Toll Plaza | ||||
| Hunter's Creek | 8.659 | 13.935 | 10 |  CR 423 (John Young Parkway) | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| 10.032 | 16.145 | 11 | US 17 / US 92 / US 441 (Orange Blossom Trail / SR 500 / SR 600) – Kissimmee | Folded diamond/partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| Southchase | 11.02[18] | 17.73 | 12 |  Florida's Turnpike – Miami, Ocala | Cloverstack interchange; Florida's Turnpike exit 251; northbound Turnpike uses open road tolling | |
| Meadow Woods | 12.377 | 19.919 | 14 | Landstar Boulevard | Diamond interchange; tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 14.3[17] | 23.0 | Boggy Creek Mainline Toll Plaza | ||||
| Orlando | 15.903 | 25.593 | 17A |  International Airport | Directional T interchange; via South Access Road; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance; opened February 2016[19] | |
| 17B | Boggy Creek Road (CR 527A) | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| 17.996 | 28.962 | 19 |  Lake Nona Boulevard | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance; to UCF Lake Nona Hospital, Nemours Children's Hospital | ||
| 20.550 | 33.072 | 22 |  CR 15 (Narcoosee Road) | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 22.017 | 35.433 | 23 | Moss Park Road | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 22.939 | 36.917 | 24 | Dowden Road | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 24.571 | 39.543 | 26 |  SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) – International Airport, Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa | Cloverstack interchange; SR 528 exit 16; to Port Canaveral, Orange County Convention Center, Sea World Orlando, and Universal Orlando | ||
| 26.482 | 42.619 | 27 | Lee Vista Boulevard | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| | 27.2[17] | 43.8 | Curry Ford Mainline Toll Plaza | |||
| | 28.785 | 46.325 | 30 |  SR 552 (Curry Ford Road) | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| | 31.525 | 50.735 | 33 |  SR 408 (East–West Expressway) – Orlando, Titusville | Cloverstack interchange; signed as exits 33A (east) and 33B (west); SR 408 exit 18 | |
| | 33.217 | 53.458 | 34 |  SR 50 (Colonial Drive) | Trumpet/partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| | 34.7[17] | 55.8 | University Mainline Toll Plaza | |||
| | 35.486 | 57.109 | 37 | University Boulevard | Partial cloverleaf interchange; signed as exits 37A (east) and 37B (west) northbound; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| Orange–Seminole county line | | Transition from CFX to FTE maintenance | ||||
| Seminole | Oviedo | 37.109 | 59.721 | 38 |  SR 426 (Aloma Avenue) | Diamond interchange; tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 40.308 | 64.869 | 41 | Red Bug Lake Road | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled northbound exit and southbound entrance; to Oviedo Medical Center | ||
| Winter Springs | 42.716 | 68.745 | 44 |  SR 434 (SR 419) | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| Lake Jesup | 43.518[18]– 45.022 | 70.035– 72.456 | Bridge | |||
| | 46.7[17] | 75.2 | Lake Jesup Toll Plaza | |||
| Sanford | 48.211 | 77.588 | 49 |  CR 427 (Ronald Reagan Boulevard) / Lake Mary Boulevard – Orlando Sanford International Airport | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | |
| 49.258 | 79.273 | 50 | US 17 / US 92 – Sanford | Partial cloverleaf interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance; to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital | ||
| 51.101 | 82.239 | 52 |  CR 46A (H.E. Thomas Jr. Parkway) – Sanford, Lake Mary | Diamond interchange; tolled southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 53.627 | 86.304 | 54 |  CR 431B (Rinehart Road) – Sanford, Lake Mary | Folded diamond/partial cloverleaf interchange | ||
| 54.061 | 87.003 | 55A | I-4 – Downtown Orlando, Daytona Beach | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-4 exit 101B | ||
| 55B | Heathrow | |||||
| – |  SR 429 south (Wekiva Parkway) | Continuation beyond I-4 opened on January 26, 2024[14] | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Florida Department of Transportation Interchange Report" (PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. August 4, 2010. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 8, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ "Southern Connector Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2012.
- ^ "Seminole Expressway Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2012.
- ^ "Florida's Turnpike Enterprise Opens New Ramps at Central Florida GreeneWay/SR 417 Interchange in Orlando" (PDF).
- ^ "Florida's Turnpike Enterprise Widening Projects in Central Florida" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2013.
- ^ "New Road—State Road (SR) 417 Extension to International Parkway— Opening" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "SR417/SR91 INTERCHANGE NEW CONSTRUCTION" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 5, 2012.
- ^ "Opened: Sr 417/Florida's Turnpike Partial Interchange". Archived from the original on February 13, 2015.
- ^ "Central/West Central Florida Construction/Lane Closure Update". Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. Archived from the original on November 25, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^ "New Interchange at Florida's Turnpike & SR 417 (MP 251)" (PDF). Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^ "Speed limit to increase to 70 mph on SR-417, 429". wftv.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^ "Wekiva Parkway - FDOT Sections". Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^ a b Trezza, Matt (January 26, 2024). "Wekiva Parkway, 25-mile toll road, officially opens in Central Florida". WOFL. Fox Television Stations. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ https://www.oocea.com/Portals/0/DigArticle/66/2030_Improvements_Map.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ "WIDEN SEMINOLE EXPRESSWAY (SR 417)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Google Maps distance
- ^ a b FDOT straight line diagrams Archived March 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 2014
- ^ "COMPLETE: SR 417/Boggy Creek Road Interchange". cfxway.com. Central Florida Expressway Authority. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.