CFX breaks ground on State Road 516 Lake/Orange Expressway

The new 4.4-mile expressway, which is being constructed in three segments, will provide much-needed connectivity between Lake and Orange counties.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 11:46 a.m. April 5, 2024

State Road 516 will improve connectivity opportunities for Lake and Orange counties

Southwest Orange
News

The Central Florida Expressway Authority broke ground on the new State Road 516 Lake/Orange Expressway Thursday, April 4, in Clermont.

The new 4.4-mile expressway, which is being constructed in three segments, will provide much-needed connectivity between Lake and Orange counties.

The event featured remarks from several key speakers and dignitaries, including Michelle Maikisch, CFX executive director; Brandon Arrington, CFX chairman; Sean Parks, Lake County commissioner; and Jerry L. Demings, Orange County mayor.

Built with innovation in mind, S.R. 516 will serve as a revolutionary testbed for electric in-vehicle charging. According to CFX, S.R. 516 will be the most sustainable project ever delivered by the organization.

S.R. 516 will help to meet the future travel needs of an area that has blossomed into a fast-growing residential, commercial and medical hub.

The expressway will feature wildlife protection and a multi-use trail to deliver a world-class roadway.

"The Lake/Orange Expressway will be an example of what is possible when we think about transportation into the future," Maikisch said. "Innovation, technology and sustainable elements will make for more efficient and responsive transportation solutions."

CFX's project goals for the new S.R. 516 include improving connectivity opportunities for Lake and Orange counties; meeting anticipated transportation demand for planned growth; supporting economic viability/job creation for the Wellness Way Area Plan; increasing intermodal opportunities with Horizon West Town Center; providing evacuation and emergency services access for emergency events, such as hurricanes; and creating a sustainable, environmentally-friendly facility that balances transportation needs with conservation and energy efficiency.

The estimated construction cost for the project is $546 million.

Construction on the first section of the project, located at the Lake/Orange County line to S.R. 429 just south of Schofield Road, will begin in May 2024. Construction on the remaining two segments is anticipated to get underway later this year.

Construction for the new expressway is estimated to be completed in late 2027.

For more information on the project, click here.

The project will be constructed in three separate segments.

author

Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.