156-1170: Interstate 4 ( I-4 ) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Florida , maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Spanning 132.30 miles (212.92 km) along a generally southwest–northeast axis, I-4 is entirely concurrent with State Road 400 ( SR 400 ). In the west, I-4 begins at an interchange with I-275 in Tampa . I-4 intersects with several major expressways as it traverses Central Florida , including US Highway 41 (US 41) in Tampa; US 301 near Riverview ; I-75 near Brandon ; US 98 in Lakeland ; US 27 in unincorporated Davenport ; US 192 in Celebration ; Florida's Turnpike in Orlando ; and US 17 and US 92 in multiple junctions. In
312-535: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing
468-469: A "great education temple in Florida." Wright worked on the project for over 20 years as Spivey found ways to fund it and find construction workers during World War II . Wright's original plan called for 18 structures; in total he designed 30, but only 12 were completed. Wright's textile block motif is used extensively on the campus. The concrete blocks he used are in need of restoration. Wright titled
624-490: A $ 2.3-billion reconstruction, and was completed on February 26, 2022. This project replaced most bridges, changed the configurations of many intersections, and added two express toll lanes —named I-4 Express—in each direction. After passing along the west side of Downtown Orlando, I-4 continues through the city's northern suburbs—including Winter Park , Maitland , Altamonte Springs , and Sanford . Around mile 91, I-4 enters Seminole County and, soon thereafter, shifts to
780-651: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for
936-689: A 5-to-11.5-mile (8.0 to 18.5 km) connection between I-4 and the Poinciana Parkway —a short, tolled expressway completed in 2016 between US 17/US 92 and the community of Poinciana . Despite the cancellation of the Florida High-Speed Corridor in 2011, the following year, All Aboard Florida, now Brightline , announced its intentions to build an inter-city rail route between Miami and Orlando , which eventually began operations in September 2023. Brightline
1092-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in
1248-507: A female householder with no husband present, and 39% were individuals and nontraditional families. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82. In 2000, the city the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
1404-464: A large digital collection with over 7,000 images of the city of Lakeland, its landmarks, significant historical moments, cultural institutions, and prominent citizens. The LHR provides one-on-one assistance with historic research, a history lecture series with prominent local historians, a DIY Digitizing Lab for personal material preservation, and genealogical programs and resources. In 2019, an initiative led by Lakeland City Commissioner Phillip Walker,
1560-410: A limited-access highway into Walt Disney World and an electric pylon in the shape of Mickey Mouse can be seen on the southwest corner of the intersection. The single Central Florida GreeneWay/World Drive exit (exit 62) also marks an abrupt change from rural to suburban/urban landscape. The highway passes beside Celebration and Kissimmee on the east side and Walt Disney World (not visible) on
1716-595: A national road grid with the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating the first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed
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#17327984175311872-605: A northeast heading. The Seminole Expressway (SR 417), after passing around the east side of Greater Orlando, has its northern terminus (exit 101B) at I-4 in Sanford. This intersection will also connect with the Wekiva Parkway (SR 429), currently under construction, when it is completed in mid-2023, at which point a full beltway (SR 429/SR 417; concurrent with I-4 for two miles [3.2 km]) around Greater Orlando will be available. On October 21, 2022,
2028-452: A number of other bodies of water unnamed, mostly phosphate mine pits that eventually filled with water. The largest of these is Lake Parker , which is 2,550 acres (10.3 km ) in size. Much of the culture of Lakeland revolves around its many lakes, and many people use the lakes as reference points in much the same way people in other towns use streets as reference points, such as "I live near Lake Beulah." In addition to Lake Parker, some of
2184-589: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned
2340-535: A pair of rest areas at the Daryl Carter Parkway overpass (mile 70) near Lake Buena Vista in early 1999 and replaced them with retention ponds to serve runoff from an additional lane in each direction of I-4. Another former rest area, without any bathrooms, existed on the eastbound side near mile 127 in Volusia County . A pair of weigh stations including weigh in motion scales
2496-491: A proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas,
2652-539: A proposed connector highway with the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway . The interchange with what is today I-75 was constructed in the early 1980s. As Orlando grew in the 1970s and 1980s, traffic became a growing concern, especially after the construction of the original interchange with the East–West Expressway in 1973, which proved to become a principal bottleneck. The term "highway hostages"
2808-559: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on
2964-521: A result of several large, deadly pileups caused by dense fog. At mile 57, I-4 enters Osceola County and, soon thereafter, intersects Greater Orlando 's beltways: the incomplete Western Expressway (SR 429) on the western side and the Central Florida GreeneWay (SR 417) which rounds the eastern side before returning to I-4 in Sanford. Additionally, an exit to World Drive (signed as just "Disney World") runs north as
3120-517: A routine traffic stop in the Wabash area of Lakeland. More than 500 police officers from a variety of law enforcement agencies joined in a search for Angilo Freeland, suspected of murdering Williams and stealing his gun. Freeland was found hiding in a rural area the next morning. Nine officers from five different law enforcement agencies surrounded Freeland and shot him when he raised Williams' stolen gun at them. A total of 110 shots were fired, and Freeland
3276-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of
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#17327984175313432-801: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along
3588-460: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with
3744-474: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through
3900-804: A two-span, six-lane replacement to the original four-lane bridge over the St. Johns River northeast of Orlando, was completed in 2004. During the early 2000s, tolled express lanes were being planned in the Orlando area as a traffic congestion relief technique for rush-hour commuters. The name for them was to be Xpress 400, numbered after the state road designation for I-4. The express lanes were slated to extend from Universal Orlando , east to SR 434 in Longwood , and tolls were to be collected electronically via transponders like SunPass and Central Florida Expressway Authority 's E-PASS , with prices dependent on
4056-419: A wide median to accommodate a high-speed rail line. The high-speed rail project was canceled in 2004 but revived again in 2009. In 2010, the federal government awarded Florida over $ 2 billion (equivalent to $ 2.73 billion in 2023)—nearly the entire projected construction cost—to build the line, with work on the project to begin in 2011 and be completed by 2014. However, Governor Rick Scott 's rejection of
4212-879: Is a basketball team playing in the NBA G League and is an affiliate of the Orlando Magic . The Florida Tropics SC is an indoor soccer team playing in the Major Arena Soccer League . The Tropics organization also operates an outdoor team, the Lakeland Tropics, which competes in the Premier Development League . The Florida Tarpons were an indoor football team playing in the American Arena League for one season after relocating from Estero, Florida . In
4368-620: Is a city in Polk County, Florida , United States. Located along I-4 east of Tampa and west of Orlando , it is the most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area . Lakeland is situated among several lakes including Lake Morton downtown and
4524-560: Is a special collections archive established in 1987 housed within the Lakeland Public Library 's main branch. The Lakeland History Room maintains the City's collection of historical materials as well as other locally relevant collections composed of documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, scrapbooks, specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards. The LHR maintains
4680-543: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within
4836-488: Is also proposed to be a diverging diamond. Unlike I-4 Ultimate, where the 21 miles (34 km) encompassed by that project were constructed at once, the 40 miles (64 km) encompassed by I-4 Beyond the Ultimate will be constructed in phases. As part of the "Moving Florida Forward" initiative, construction of I-4 widening between Championsgate and Osceola Parkway will add additional lanes on this 15-mile segment, which
Interstate 4 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4992-504: Is an unsigned highway while running concurrently with I-4 from their shared western terminus at I-275 in Tampa through the last eastbound exit before the eastern terminus of I-4, at I-95 in Daytona Beach. SR 400 is named Beville Road beyond I-95 and continues for another 4.216 mi (6.785 km) to its own eastern terminus at an intersection with US 1 on the city line between Daytona Beach and South Daytona. Sections of
5148-552: Is currently in the planning stages of developing an expansion of service between Orlando and Tampa using the I-4 right-of-way. In 2014, FDOT began a study of the feasibility of extending the SunRail commuter train line to Daytona Beach, primarily focusing on the use of the I-4 median. The ongoing widening project from SR 44 to I-95 maintains a median wide enough to accommodate a future rail line. State Road 400 ( SR 400 )
5304-458: Is expected to begin construction in late 2024. Express toll lanes are also being considered for I-4 in the Tampa Bay area . In January 2015, FDOT unveiled its master plan for a system of express toll lanes—dubbed Tampa Bay Express (TBX)—on I-4, I-75, and I-275 and began public meetings for community input. On I-4, these lanes would extend approximately 26 miles (42 km) from I-275 to west of
5460-658: Is home to the Swaminarayan Hindu Temple , which was established in 2005. In 1994, the first and only mosque in the county was established. It was called Masjid Aisha, but is now called the Islamic Center of Lakeland. Christianity makes up the largest religious group in Lakeland. As of 2013, an estimated 300 churches existed with an address in the city. Lakeland is the largest city on Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa. Large industries in
5616-418: Is no longer the largest industry in the area, it still plays a large part in the economy of Lakeland and Polk County. Phosphate mining is still important to the economy of Lakeland, although most of the mining now takes place farther south. The Bone Valley produced 25% of the U.S. phosphate supply. Lakeland's largest employer is Publix Super Markets . Publix is one of the largest regional grocery chains in
5772-554: Is now downtown Lakeland in 1882 and platted the land for the town in 1884. Lakeland was named for the many lakes near the town site. In April 1898, the Spanish–American War began and started a crucial point in Lakeland's development. While the war ended quickly and had little effect on most of the nation, the Florida peninsula was used as a launching point for military forces in the war. The then small town of Lakeland housed over 9,000 troops. The 10th Cavalry Regiment , one of
5928-598: Is present at mile 12 between Tampa and Plant City. They were opened in January 2009 to replace a pair just west of the SR ;566 interchange at mile 19. I-4 was one of the first Interstate Highways to be constructed in Florida, with the first section opening between Plant City and Lakeland in 1959. By early 1960, the Howard Frankland Bridge was opened to traffic, as well as the segment from
6084-490: Is sometimes locally referred to by the nickname "Swan City" due to its sizeable population of swans, all of whom are descendants of two mute swans given to Lakeland by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Lakeland is home to several colleges and universities. Lakeland Linder International Airport is in Lakeland as is the corporate headquarters of Publix , a supermarket chain. European-American settlers arrived in Lakeland from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina in
6240-454: Is the addition of four variable-toll express lanes along this section, called I-4 Express. The toll rates maintain an average speed of 60 mph (97 km/h). Additionally, the general-use lanes were rebuilt, 15 major interchanges were reconfigured, 53 new bridges were added, and 75 bridges were replaced. A pedestrian bridge was built over the highway near Maitland Boulevard, with a second pedestrian bridge being built over SR 435 at
6396-462: Is the largest university in the area, with undergraduate enrollment around 6200. Southeastern is affiliated with the Assemblies of God . Florida Southern College , established in 1883 and with a current undergraduate enrollment of just over 2600, is on Lake Hollingsworth . Florida Southern is the home of the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. In July 2008,
Interstate 4 - Misplaced Pages Continue
6552-486: Is the starting point for milemarkers and exit numbers (which are mileage-based ). Just east of Malfunction Junction, I-4 passes along the north side of Tampa's Ybor City district, where a mile-long (1.6 km) connector links to the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) and Port Tampa Bay . I-4 continues east past the Florida State Fairgrounds toward a turbine interchange (uncommon in
6708-539: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around
6864-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as
7020-552: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became
7176-630: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to
7332-880: The Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct
7488-651: The Lakeland Derby Dames ; however, the team was dissolved in November 2015. The Lakeland Center also hosts the Florida High School Athletic Association 's state basketball finals. Lakeland is governed by a six-member city council. Four members are elected from single-member districts ; the other two are elected at-large , requiring them to gain a majority of the votes. The mayor is elected. The City of Lakeland
7644-559: The Lakeland Public Library and today the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce), and others. The city also has several historic districts that have many large buildings built during the 1920s and 1940s. The Cleveland Indians held spring training there from 1923 to 1927 at Henley Field Ball Park . Parks were developed surrounding Lake Mirror, including Barnett Children's Park, Hollis Gardens, and the newest, Allen Kryger Park. The "boom" period went "bust" quickly, and years passed before
7800-529: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he
7956-506: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding
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#17327984175318112-470: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along
8268-553: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with
8424-456: The 1870s. The city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service, with the first freedmen railway workers settling here in 1883. They and European immigrants also came because of land development opportunities with farming, citrus, cattle and phosphate industry developing. Lakeland is home to the 1,267-acre Circle B Bar Reserve (513 ha). In the 18th century Native Americans groups, collectively called " Seminoles ", moved into
8580-830: The 1980s, the Lakeland Center briefly played host to the indoor version of the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team. The Lakeland Center has also hosted a few hockey teams, the Lakeland Ice Warriors, the Lakeland Prowlers, and the Lakeland Loggerheads. The United States Basketball League once had a team here as well called the Lakeland Blue Ducks . Sun 'n Fun was home to Lakeland's only roller derby league,
8736-425: The 1990s, possibly funded by tolls, but proposals for express lanes (including reversible toll lanes and high-occupancy toll [HOT] lanes) were blocked by politics for the next 15 years. In 2012, a legislative ban on tolls along I-4, which had been in place for seven years, ended, and FDOT began soliciting private enterprises to build and help finance the project in a public–private partnership . In February 2013,
8892-441: The 21-mile (34 km) stretch of highway extending from Kirkman Road (SR 435; exit 75) in Orlando to SR 434 (exit 94) in Longwood . The project broke ground in 2015, and the express lanes opened to traffic on February 26, 2022. Previously, the median of I-4 between Tampa and Orlando was the planned route of a now-canceled high-speed rail line ; however, Brightline , an inter-city rail route, plans to use
9048-576: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across
9204-527: The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), using geographic information system technology, performed an analysis to determine if this identified zone had an increased fatality rate related to crashes. The analysis, which compared this section of I-4 to several other dangerous I-4 sections, found that, while the dead zone area did not have the highest accident or fatality rate, it did identify that
9360-430: The Hillsborough Avenue/US 301 junction in Tampa to Plant City. The stretch from Lake Monroe to Lake Helen , including the original St. Johns River Veterans Memorial Bridge also opened during that period. The segment from Tampa to Orlando was complete by 1962. By the mid-1960s, several segments were already complete, including Malfunction Junction in Tampa and parts of I-4 through Orlando. The original western terminus
9516-548: The I-4 right-of-way for their expansion of service to Tampa. From a political standpoint, the "I-4 corridor" is a strategic region given the large number of undecided voters in a large swing state . I-4 maintains a diagonal, northeast–southwest route for much of its length, although it is signed east–west. It roughly follows the original path of the South Florida Railroad built by Henry B. Plant in 1884. The highway starts its eastward journey at an interchange with I-275—known as "Malfunction Junction"—near Downtown Tampa and
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#17327984175319672-638: The I-4 Ultimate, the study is examining an extension through Osceola County to US 27 in Polk County. Northeast of the I-4 Ultimate, the study is examining an extension through Seminole County to SR 472 in Volusia County. In addition to these express lane extensions, many interchanges will be reconstructed as part of the project. Some of these reconstructed interchanges will be converted to diverging diamond interchanges , which are proposed at both CR 532 (exit 58; implemented on July 10, 2022) and SR 482 (exit 74A; implemented on March 9, 2024). A brand new interchange at Daryl Carter Parkway
9828-410: The I-4 interchange in Sanford. When completed in 2023, it will complete the beltway around Orlando, although the southern ends of SR 429 and SR 417 do not connect and are separated by a 3.4-mile (5.5 km) drive along I-4. On October 21, 2022, the first part of this connection opened to traffic, with the westbound I-4 to southbound SR 429 ramp opening to traffic, along with the section of
9984-423: The I-75 stack (constructed in the 1980s) and several interchanges serving the Walt Disney World Resort (constructed in the late 1980s and early 1990s). In 2002, I-4, along with most of Florida's Interstates, switched over from a sequential exit numbering system to a mileage-based exit numbering system. A section of I-4 between Daytona Beach and Orlando, called the "dead zone", is rumored to be haunted. In 2010,
10140-407: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that
10296-424: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to
10452-402: The Lakeland area are citrus, cattle, and phosphate mining . In the past few decades, tourism, medicine, insurance, transportation, and music have grown in importance. Citrus growing dates back to the early settlers who planted trees in the area, in the 1850s. After a series of freezes in counties north of Polk County, the area became the focal point for citrus growing in Florida. Although citrus
10608-420: The NYPD, and one new hire used to work in the NYPD's notorious anti-crime units which were disbanded after high-profile scandals. The 28 elementary schools, seven middle schools, five traditional high schools, and three magnet-choice high schools in the Lakeland area are run by the Polk County School Board . A number of opportunities exist for higher education around the Lakeland area. Southeastern University
10764-555: The Polk Parkway (SR 570). At the junction with I-275, the initial concept alignment calls for a direct connection between the express toll lanes of both highways. Express bus lanes for regional service and a long-distance bus service were studied for inclusion in the plan. The I-4 corridor was considered in the bus lane study, but the resultant proposal included installation only on I-275 and I-75. Connections with two new expressways are planned. The Wekiva Parkway—a 25-mile (40 km) segment of SR 429—will connect to SR 417 at
10920-506: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then
11076-438: The US) with I-75. After passing near the eastern suburbs of Hillsborough County —including Brandon and Plant City —it enters Polk County , where I-4 crosses along the north side of Lakeland . The Polk Parkway (SR 570) forms a semi-loop through Lakeland's southern suburbs and returns to I-4 at the Florida Polytechnic University campus, near Polk City ; it does not serve as a bypass route for I-4 traffic. Just after
11232-554: The Ultimate, which includes proposed extensions of the I-4 Express toll lanes, both southwest and northeast of the I-4 Ultimate project, are being considered. In 2013, FDOT initiated a study to reevaluate previous feasibility studies, made between 1998 and 2005, in which the addition of HOV or express toll lanes were considered. The extensions cover approximately 40 miles (64 km) of I-4 through Greater Orlando. Southwest of
11388-650: The United States with over 1,200 stores across the American South . Publix employs over 6,500 people in the Lakeland area including headquarter and warehouse employees. Lakeland is a transportation hub. FedEx Freight and FedEx Services and the Saddle Creek Corporation employ over 600 people in the area. Other large employers in the area include Amazon , GEICO , Rooms To Go , and Lakeland Regional Health. The Lakeland History Room
11544-715: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have
11700-658: The University of South Florida's Lakeland campus was granted partial autonomy by Governor Charlie Crist and became Florida Polytechnic University. Florida Polytechnic (FLPoly) is just inside the Lakeland's northeast border at the intersection of I-4 and Polk Parkway. They also have some administrative offices on the campus of Polk State College on Winter Lake Road. FLPoly is focused on STEM degree programs, such as engineering and computer science. Both Everest University and Keiser University , two multisite, accredited universities, have locations in Lakeland. Traviss Career Center
11856-481: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of
12012-563: The areas in northern Polk County and began settling in the areas which became Lakeland. Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s, and began to develop as the rail lines reached the area in 1884. Freedmen settled here in 1883, starting development of what became the African-American neighborhood of Moorehead. Lakeland was incorporated January 1, 1885. The town was founded by Abraham Munn (a resident of Louisville, Kentucky ), who purchased 80 acres (320,000 m ) of land in what
12168-658: The areas left vacant. In 1823, the United States and the various tribes in Florida signed the Treaty of Moultrie Creek , which created a reservation in central Florida that included what is now Polk County. Starting in 1832, the United States government tried to move the Seminoles in Florida west to the Indian Territory . Most of the Seminoles resisted, resulting in the Second Seminole War , 1835–1842. By
12324-684: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at
12480-613: The capture of two of the royal swans, and the swans now on the lakes of Lakeland are the descendants of the one surviving royal swan sent by the Queen. In July 2006, Scott Lake, one of the city's lakes, was almost totally drained by a cluster of sinkholes . Later the lake partially refilled. Lakeland, like most other parts of Florida north of Lake Okeechobee , is in the humid subtropical zone ( Köppen climate classification : Cfa ). Typically, summers are hot and humid with high temperatures seldom dropping below 90 °F and 70 °F for
12636-406: The choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of a program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of
12792-583: The city has an area of 67 sq mi (173.5 km ), of which 45.84 sq mi (118.7 km ) is land and 5.61 sq mi (14.5 km ) (10.90%) is covered by water. Lakeland is within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain , with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills. The dominant feature in Lakeland is the city's many lakes. Thirty-eight lakes are named, with
12948-788: The city recovered. Part of the reemergence was due to the arrival of the Detroit Tigers baseball team in 1934 for spring training. The Tigers still train at Lakeland's Joker Marchant Stadium and own the city's Class A Florida State League team, the Lakeland Flying Tigers . In the mid-1930s, the Works Progress Administration built the Lakeland Municipal Airport . In 1938, Florida Southern College President Ludd Spivey invited architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design
13104-505: The city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 97,422 people, 40,529 households, and 24,654 families residing in the city. Between 2008–2012, the per capita income was $ 23,817 and the median household income was $ 40,284. Persons below the poverty line in 2008–2012 were 17.5% according to the US Census. As of 2000, 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had
13260-617: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has
13416-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,
13572-455: The congestion of the eight mainlanes. However, the project was effectively banned by the passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users federal transportation bill in 2005, introduced by US Representative John Mica . The plan for tolled express lanes is now moving forward as part of the $ 2.3-billion I-4 Ultimate project. Interim improvements to
13728-507: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at
13884-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where
14040-623: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in
14196-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It
14352-541: The east, I-4 ends at an interchange with I-95 in Daytona Beach , while SR 400 continues for roughly another four miles (6.4 km) and ends at an intersection with US 1 on the city line of Daytona Beach and South Daytona . Construction on I-4 began in 1958; the first segment opened in 1959, and the entire highway was completed in 1965. The "I-4 Ultimate" project oversaw the construction of variable-toll express lanes and numerous redevelopments through
14508-428: The eastbound I-4 exit ramp to Columbus Drive/50th Street is situated to the left-hand side of the highway (as opposed to its former right-hand side exit). This exit shift went into effect in spring 2006 and is part of the new, permanent Interstate configuration. In Tampa, the exit to 40th Street ( SR 569 ), exit 2, was closed and demolished in late 2005 due to the ongoing reconstruction of I-4 and to accommodate
14664-496: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate
14820-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of
14976-658: The elections of 1996 , 2008, 2012 , 2016, and 2020. Trump again won the 2024 United States presidential election in Florida . WKMG-TV reported that because of the size of his victory of more than 13%, Florida was no longer a swing state. Noting that Trump had won all nine central Florida counties except Orange County, the station said that "the days of the I-4 corridor being a thing [are] no more". FDOT websites about Interstate 4: FDOT websites about specific I-4 projects and proposals: Interstate Highway System [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as
15132-547: The end of that war, most of the Seminoles had been sent west, with a few remnants pushed well south of what is now Polk County. Florida became a state in 1845, and Polk County was established in 1861. After the American Civil War , the county seat was established southeast of Lakeland in Bartow . While most of Polk County's early history centered on the two cities of Bartow and Fort Meade , eventually, people entered
15288-649: The entire length of I-4 has at least six lanes (three or more per direction). I-4 terminates at a junction with I-95 in Daytona Beach. SR 400 continues east into Daytona Beach four miles (6.4 km) to US 1. I-4 has two pairs of rest areas , one near Polk City and the other near Longwood . At each location, there are separate facilities on opposite sides of the freeway that provide services to traffic in both directions. The rest areas all provide disabled facilities with restrooms, picnic tables, drinking water, pet exercise areas, outside night lights, telephones, vending machines, and nighttime security. FDOT closed
15444-492: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote
15600-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use
15756-536: The first part of this connection opened to traffic, with the westbound I-4 to southbound SR 429 ramp opening to traffic, along with the section of the southbound lanes between the ramp and SR 46. North of Sanford, I-4 is carried by the St. Johns River Veterans Memorial Bridge over the St. Johns River at the mouth of Lake Monroe . Along the bridge, I-4 enters Volusia County and passes Deltona and DeLand . The segment north of SR 44 has been widened from four to six lanes. Completed in winter 2016–2017,
15912-515: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before
16068-614: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during
16224-551: The funding ended the project. On January 9, 2008, 70 vehicles were involved in a large pileup on I-4 near Polk City . The pileup was caused by an unexpected thick morning fog that was mixed with a scheduled—and approved—environmental burn by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission . The fog drifted across I-4, mixing with the smoke and reducing visibility to near-zero conditions. Four people were killed and 38 were injured. The section of I-4 did not reopen until
16380-556: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,
16536-553: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed
16692-617: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system
16848-402: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow
17004-417: The interchange at SR 408 were completed at the end of 2008. The eastbound exit to Robinson Street ( SR 526 ) permanently closed on April 25, 2006, to make way for construction of the new eastbound onramp from SR 408 . The westbound offramp to Gore Street was permanently closed in the same project on November 2, 2008. The new overpass from I-4 west to John Young Parkway (CR 423) opened
17160-414: The intersection with both Major Boulevard and Tom Williams Way. A pedestrian tunnel was constructed under SR 436. The project also reduced the curve radius and improved line-of-sight along the notorious Fairbanks Curve south of Fairbanks Avenue , which is the most accident-prone section of I-4. FDOT proposed adding barrier-separated high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to I-4 through Greater Orlando in
17316-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with
17472-454: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry
17628-753: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have
17784-449: The more prominent lakes in the Lakeland area are Lake Hollingsworth , Lake Morton , Lake Mirror, and Lake Gibson . Swans are one of the most visible features on the lakes near downtown Lakeland. They have a long history, the first swans appearing around 1923. By 1954, the swans were gone, eradicated by alligators and pets. A Lakeland resident who mourned the passing of the swans wrote to Queen Elizabeth II . The royal family allowed
17940-432: The morning of April 27, 2006. The final four-lane segment of I-4, from SR 44 to I-95, was widened to six lanes. Completed in winter 2016–2017, the whole highway is at least six lanes wide. A $ 2.3-billion (in year-of-expenditure dollars) project—dubbed I-4 Ultimate—reconstructed a 21-mile (34 km) stretch of I-4 through Orlando from SR 435 (exit 75) east to SR 434 (exit 94). The most noticeable change
18096-452: The next day, January 10. The I-4/I-275 interchange (Malfunction Junction) was rebuilt from 2002 to 2007, and I-4 has been widened from four to six lanes (with eight lanes in certain segments). Eastbound I-4 shifted to its new, permanent alignment between Malfunction Junction and 50th Street on August 8, 2006. The new alignment includes a right-lane ramp exit/entry at the 22nd Street/21st Street Interchange (the previous left-lane configuration
18252-594: The nonconcurrent SR 400 are classified as a "scenic thoroughfare" within Daytona Beach. In the 2004 US presidential election in Florida , the I-4 corridor , a commonly used term to refer to the counties in which I-4 runs through and a site of significant population growth, was a focus of political activity within the swing state . Communities along the I-4 corridor were perceived by both major political parties as having higher proportions of undecided voters as compared to more Republican - or Democratic -leaning portions of
18408-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for
18564-416: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Lakeland, Florida Lakeland
18720-426: The original Buffalo Soldier regiments, were housed on the banks of Lake Wire. Soon after being stationed there, the black troops faced conflict with the local white population. In one event, a local druggist refused to sell to black soldiers and an argument ensued which eventually escalated to the point where the druggist brandished a pistol. The soldiers shot the druggist before he could fire, which resulted in two of
18876-561: The original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from the original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by
19032-440: The overnight low. Like most of Central Florida, afternoon thunderstorms are the norm throughout the summer. Winters in Lakeland are drier and warm, with frequent sunny skies. High temperatures range in the mid 70s during the day, with lows in the 50s. Cold snaps drop temperatures below freezing twice a year on average. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 112,641 people, 41,750 households, and 24,433 families residing in
19188-516: The percentage of fatality to accident was significantly higher in this location. Multiple hurricanes, including three category 4 hurricanes ( Donna , Charley , and Ian ) have also passed over that area. The median of I-4 between Tampa and Orlando was slated to be used for the Florida High-Speed Corridor line between those cities. As a result of a state constitutional amendment to build a high-speed rail system between its five largest cities passed by voters in 2000, construction projects on I-4 included
19344-656: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),
19500-622: The population, while German came up as the third-most spoken language, which made up 0.8%, and French was fourth, with 0.5% of the population. In 1913, the Wolfson family arrived from Lithuania and became the first Jewish settlers to the area. After some struggles, the Jewish community in Lakeland flourished and the first synagogue, Temple Emanuel opened in 1932. The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute presents classes and seminars in Lakeland in partnership with Chabad of Lakeland. Lakeland
19656-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from
19812-523: The project Child of the Sun , describing his Florida Southern buildings as being "out of the ground, into the light, a child of the sun." It is the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the world, and attracts 30,000 visitors each year. In 1975, the "Florida Southern Architectural District" was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2012, Wright's campus
19968-423: The project is currently underway and it is unknown when the project will be completed. Joker Marchant Stadium , north of downtown, hosts spring training for the Detroit Tigers , as well as their Lakeland Flying Tigers class-A Florida State League and GCL Tigers rookie-league Gulf Coast League minor league baseball teams. RP Funding Center is also home to two indoor sports teams. The Lakeland Magic
20124-537: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along
20280-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to
20436-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of
20592-574: The school (renamed the Lodwick School of Aeronautics in the midst of this period). From June 1941 until October 1942, 1,327 British Royal Air Force cadets trained at the Lakeland facility. The Lodwick School of Aeronautics closed in 1945. The airport ceased flight operations in the 1960; the site has since then housed the Detroit Tigers ' "Tiger Town" baseball complex. According to the United States Census Bureau ,
20748-474: The southbound lanes between the ramp and SR 46. The Central Polk Parkway is a planned tolled expressway in eastern Polk County that will connect I-4 near Davenport with the Polk Parkway near Bartow ; it is currently in the design phase, but funding for right-of-way acquisition of the initial segments is not planned until fiscal year 2019–2020. Additionally, FDOT is conducting a feasibility study for
20904-471: The state legislature and governor gave approval for FDOT to proceed with the public–private partnership on this section of I-4 in February 2013, and, the following year, FDOT selected I-4 Mobility Partners to design, construct, finance, maintain, and operate the project for 40 years. FDOT and I-4 Mobility Partners reached commercial and financial close, and a public–private partnership concession agreement
21060-463: The state without winning the region. The Republicans carried the region three times while the Democrats carried the region five times in the past eight presidential elections. Republicans George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush won more votes than other candidates in 1992, 2000, and 2004, while Democrats Bill Clinton , Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton , and Joe Biden captured the region's vote total in
21216-439: The state. It played an equally key role in the 2008 US presidential election in Florida but, whereas the corridor had voted heavily for George W. Bush in 2004, which helped Bush win the state, in 2008, it swung behind Democratic candidate Barack Obama , helping Obama win Florida. Between 1996 and 2012, the I-4 corridor voted for the statewide winner. However, in the 2016 and 2020 elections, Republican Donald Trump carried
21372-566: The troops being arrested. The Florida boom resulted in the construction of many significant structures in Lakeland, a number of which are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places . This list includes the Terrace Hotel, New Florida Hotel (Regency Tower, currently Lake Mirror Tower), Polk Theatre , Frances Langford Promenade , Polk Museum of Art (not a product of the 1920s boom), Park Trammell Building (formerly
21528-495: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement
21684-949: The west side. For the next 40 miles (64 km), I-4 passes through Greater Orlando, where the highway forms the main north–south artery. It enters Orange County , passes through Walt Disney World and by SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando , and intersects all of the area's major toll roads , including the Beachline Expressway (SR 528), Florida's Turnpike , and the East–West Expressway (SR 408). Orlando's main tourist strip — International Drive —runs parallel and no more than 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from I-4 between Kissimmee and Florida's Turnpike. Between Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue (about mile 81), I-4 turns due north (while still being signed east–west), heading past Downtown Orlando and its northern suburbs. A 21-mile (34 km) section of I-4 from west of SR 435 to east of SR 434 (miles 75–96) underwent
21840-429: The western junction with the Polk Parkway, I-4 turns from an eastward to a northeastward heading. Between SR 33 (at exit 38) and US 27 , I-4 passes through the fog-prone Green Swamp , although the landscape beside the highway is mostly forest as opposed to water-logged swampland. Ten variable-message signs and dozens of cameras and vehicle detection systems monitor this stretch of mostly-rural highway as
21996-676: Was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 16,119, and for a family was $ 17,468. Males had a median income of $ 14,137 versus $ 9,771 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,760. About 47% of families and 35% of the population were below the poverty line , including 97% of those under age 18 and 9% of those age 65 or over. As of 2000, those who spoke only English at home accounted for 91% of all residents, while 9% spoke other languages at home. The most significant were Spanish speakers who made up 6.4% of
22152-589: Was J.W. Trammell. The first female mayor was Lois Q. Searl, who served in 1965. The 1970 municipal election placed the first African-American on the City Commission, Dr. John S. Jackson . In 1972, he became the first black mayor for the city. In 1980, Carrie R. Oldham became Lakeland's first African-American female mayor. Since 1988, the mayor has been elected by the city's voters. On September 28, 2006, Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Vernon "Matt" Williams and his K-9 partner Diogi were shot and killed after
22308-495: Was causing hazardous conditions to commuters since its opening in 2005). On August 11, 2006, a fourth lane opened on eastbound I-4 between the downtown junction and 50th Street (led in by a newly opened third lane on the eastbound I-4 ramp from northbound I-275). And, on August 18, the new westbound alignment, just west of 50th Street, opened. The newly opened lanes will improve flow throughout the interchange. The 50th Street overpass, however, would not be complete until late 2007. Also,
22464-541: Was coined in the 1980s to describe people stuck in long commutes to and from Orlando on I-4. In the early-to-mid-1990s, several interchanges near Kissimmee were constructed or upgraded to accommodate increasing traffic going to and from Walt Disney World. However, I-4's mainlanes were not widened in the process. Around the same time, SR 417 was extended to I-4. Improvements to the US ;192 junction were completed in 2007. The St. Johns River Veterans Memorial Bridge ,
22620-722: Was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service . At the beginning of World War II , the Lakeland School of Aeronautics —headquartered at the recently built Lakeland Municipal Airport —became part of a nationwide network of civilian flight schools enjoined for the war effort by the United States Army Air Corps . Between 1940 and 1945, more than 8,000 Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces cadets trained on two-seater Stearman PT-17 and PT-13 biplanes at
22776-500: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving
22932-595: Was established to organize and advise the City in the design, content, and construction of the exhibit. The Lakeland Public Library was eventually chosen as the location of the future exhibit space due to its central location within the city, its status as a community hub, and because it was the current home of the city's local archive, the Lakeland History Room, which would be expanded into the Lakeland History and Culture Center. Construction on
23088-541: Was executed in September 2014. The final design phase began in October 2014. On February 1, 2015, FDOT turned the project over to I-4 Mobility Partners, and, on February 18, transportation officials and the governor held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project in Maitland. After seven years of construction, the express lanes opened to traffic the morning of February 26, 2022, and began tolling on March 3, 2022. I-4 Beyond
23244-512: Was first presented to the City Commission to create the City's first History and Culture Center. The project was unanimously approved by the Commission and funds were allocated for the project's construction; although, the exhibit's content design would be funded by local donations and grant funding. An advisory committee made up of educators, city officials, local business owners, and civic and community leaders, led by former Mayor Gow Fields ,
23400-500: Was hit 68 times, killing him instantly. Multiple investigations concluded the officers' use of force was justified. Deputy Williams and Diogi were laid to rest on October 3, 2006, after a funeral that included a one-hour-and-45-minute procession to Auburndale . In 2021, the Lakeland Police Department hired numerous former NYPD officers. Two of the new hires failed to disclose that they had been disciplined by
23556-451: Was incorporated on January 1, 1885. The mayor is one of seven members of the City Commission, acting as the board chair and performing mostly ceremonial and procedural duties beyond the powers of the other six. Prior to 1988, the City Commission selected Lakeland's mayor from among its members. Mayors can be on the board for up to 12 years in a lifetime, or 16 years in combination with holding a regular commission position. Lakeland's first mayor
23712-584: Was marked as the Tampa Expressway. The Orlando segment was marked as the Orlando Expressway. Both names have since faded from maps. Although many post-1970 interchanges along I-4 were constructed before the recent widening projects, they were designed with I-4 expansion in mind. In other words, there is enough room available to widen I-4 to up to 10 lanes without extensively modifying the interchanges. Some of these interchanges include
23868-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of
24024-494: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for
24180-496: Was set at Central Avenue ( County Road 150 [CR 150]) in St. Petersburg , though a non-Interstate extension would have continued south and west to Pasadena . Proposed I-4 was later extended southwest to the present location of I-275 exit 20, with a planned temporary end at US 19 and 13th Avenue South, and a continuation to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was also designated as part of I-4. Construction
24336-571: Was stalled at 9th Street North ( CR 803 ) for several years. The entire Interstate Highway was completed by the late 1960s; however, the western terminus was truncated to Malfunction Junction in 1971 when I-75 was extended over the Howard Frankland Bridge. Eventually, that stretch was again redesignated to become part of I-275. In maps and atlases dating to the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the Tampa–St. Petersburg section of I-4/I-275
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