The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, is hosting a Public Outreach Meeting for the Southwest Connect™ Interstate 4 (I-4) Corridor Master Plan from west of SR 570 (Polk Parkway) to west of US 27 in Polk County, Florida.
For convenience, FDOT is providing multiple ways to participate: at an In-Person Open House and online at the project website: www.SWFLInterstates.com/i4-corridor-VPM.
The In-Person Open House will occur Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Crago Recreational Center, located at 525 Lake Crago Dr., Lakeland, FL 33805.
The meeting materials will also be available for viewing and comment online at www.SWFLInterstates.com/i4-corridor-VPM from February 13 – February 29, 2024. The online public outreach meeting materials include a virtual tour with multiple interactive stations containing video and other static displays all designed to introduce the project and study process, present information regarding existing conditions, and receive feedback. The in-person open-house meeting will provide the same materials and information as the online meeting materials.
In addition, FDOT is hosting a LIVE Question and Answer (Q&A) Event ONLINE beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. To register for the virtual Q&A event, please go to www.SWFLInterstates.com/i4-corridor-VPM. FDOT is mailing invitational letters to property owners adjacent to the project and in surrounding areas.
The Southwest Connect™ I-4 Corridor is a capacity, safety and operational improvement project in Polk County. This project is currently in the Planning and Feasibility Phase. During this phase, FDOT will analyze the interstate system’s existing transportation challenges. The findings of the analysis, as well as recommendations to enhance safety and mobility, are documented in a Master Plan. The planned improvements identified in the Master Plan may include widening, managed lanes, modifying interchanges, and/or evaluating new interchanges. The Master Plan will also include public outreach, such as this, which will serve as input in the identification and prioritization of projects to move forward in the Project Development Process. This long-range approach provides a regional perspective to identify the areas where future demand is predicted. This Master Plan will serve as a guide to allow FDOT to focus future efforts and funding toward the most critical areas first.
You may submit any comments or questions on the project: through the project website at www.SWFLInterstates.com/i4-corridor-VPM; by emailing Aniruddha (Rudy) Gotmare, P.E., I-4 Project Manager at aniruddha.gotmare@dot.state.fl.us; or by mailing your comments to Aniruddha Gotmare, P.E. at FDOT District One, MS 1-81, 801 N. Broadway Ave., Bartow, FL 33830. Comments must be received or postmarked by February 29, 2024 in order to be included in the workshop record.
FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or require translation services (free of charge) should contact Cynthia Sykes, FDOT District One Title VI Coordinator, by phone at (863) 519-2287, or by email at Cynthia.Sykes@dot.state.fl.us at least seven days prior to the Virtual Public Workshop. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).