PROJECT NEWS

Section 6: Major Shift Scheduled on Wekiva Parkway Over Weekend

February 13, 2021

The Wekiva Parkway (State Road 429) project will see a major alignment shift as soon as this weekend when a more than two-mile stretch of the project will open.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will shift traffic off the old S.R. 46 roadway and onto the newly constructed S.R. 429 lanes as soon as Sunday, February 14, at 8 p.m. As part of the shift, the old S.R. 46 between Fairglade Dairy Road and Old McDonald Road will close permanently. The remaining portions of the old S.R. 46 will stay open for local access.

The new roadway includes two wildlife crossing bridges to provide an unobstructed pathway for animals traveling between protected lands.

While this alignment is permanent, additional traffic shifts will be necessary in the future, including to separate local traffic from tolled travel and after completion of an additional wildlife crossing bridge.

The traffic shift represents the latest milestone in the approximately $1.6 billion effort to complete the beltway around Central Florida while helping to preserve the natural environment surrounding the Wekiva River.

The shift will require the following traffic pattern changes:

  • Northbound S.R. 429: Motorists wanting to go toward Sanford should stay on S.R. 429. Motorists wanting to go to Sorrento, Mt. Plymouth, and C.R. 46A should take the ramp for Exit 44 on the right.
  • Westbound S.R. 46/Southbound S.R. 429: Motorists wanting to go toward Apopka should stay on S.R. 429. Motorists wanting to stay on S.R. 46 and go to Sorrento, Mt. Plymouth, and C.R. 46A should take the ramp for Exit 44 on the right. Motorists can either stay on S.R. 429 or exit to remain on S.R. 46 to go toward Mt. Dora.
  • Eastbound C.R. 46A/S.R. 46: Motorists wanting to go toward Sanford will use the overpass bridge over S.R. 429, stop at the stop sign, then proceed left onto the ramp. Motorists wanting to go toward Apopka should use the entrance ramp on the right before the overpass bridge.

Electronic message boards have been posted. Please note construction schedules may change due to weather or other circumstances.

Motorists are reminded that the roadway remains a construction zone and slower speeds are enforced.