Drivers who rely on State Road 408 in Orlando will soon see major construction activity, as the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) Board voted Thursday to move forward with a sweeping improvement plan designed to ease congestion and modernize the busy corridor. The board approved Hubbard Construction Company as the contractor for the $218.7 million effort, which includes adding a new lane, improving several ramps, and upgrading tolling technology along a 1.5-mile stretch of the expressway.
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Work is scheduled to begin in January, with CFX expected to release a more detailed timeline — including lane shifts and road closures — at that time. The full project is anticipated to take three years, extending construction through 2029.
For daily commuters like Chris Bond, the changes can’t come soon enough.
“I think that would be wonderful. That would help my everyday,” Bond said, noting how frequently bottlenecks occur.
“It gets clogged usually after one of the toll stations, and then right before I-4 is usually when it gets clogged,” he added.
The expansion focuses on a heavily traveled segment of SR-408 between Church Street and I-4, where another eastbound lane will be added to help reduce backups approaching the interstate. The project also features improvements at the Tampa Avenue and Orange Blossom Trail exits, upgrades to the I-4 interchange, and modernization of tolling sites. Traditional tollbooth buildings will be replaced with streamlined electronic systems to improve traffic flow.
Bond believes these changes will create a smoother, safer commute:
“Save time, less stress. Traffic is stressful, less accidents, the whole bit,” he said.
Beyond roadway improvements, coordination will be crucial. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer emphasized that the SR-408 upgrades need to align with renovations happening simultaneously at Camping World Stadium.
“It is all about collaboration and coordination because there will be a lot of different work going on. You will have contractors working on the stadium. You will have contractors working on the local roads, the 408 itself, so making sure we know what each other is doing and coordinating the work efforts,” Dyer said.
Stadium construction is expected to wrap up by summer 2027. CFX hopes the surrounding roadwork can be substantially completed by the same timeframe should the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars temporarily relocate to Orlando. However, SR-408 improvements will continue into 2029.
Dyer said the finished product will be a noticeable enhancement for drivers coming through the heart of the city:
“That whole area, this will be a great improvement for the riding experience on the 408,” he said.
With the contractor selected, Hubbard Construction will now finalize phasing, closure schedules and communication plans — details CFX plans to unveil in January.
Originally reported by Sarah Winkelmann Orlando in My News 13.
