The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) recently approved the Southport Connector Expressway, a $2.5 billion controlled-access expressway designed to relieve congestion in southern Osceola County and improve regional mobility. The approval followed the completion of major components of the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study.
Southern Osceola County has experienced steady residential and employment growth over the past decade. As the population has increased, traffic demand has strained existing arterial roads. CFX plans describe the Southport Connector as an approximately 15-mile east-west expressway that would connect Poinciana Parkway with Florida’s Turnpike, as well as connect to Interstate 4 (I-4) via the planned Poinciana Parkway Extension. Current concepts include up to six travel lanes, grade-separated interchanges and elevated segments where needed to address terrain and environmental constraints. Transportation officials have stated that the Expressway will benefit local individuals regardless of their use of it – by taking traffic off Cypress Parkway.
Project costs are estimated at approximately $2.5 billion. CFX expects toll revenue to support a portion of the capital and long-term operating costs, but projections indicate tolls alone will not fully fund the project. As a result, CFX may rely on a combination of state and federal transportation funding, phased construction strategies and alternative delivery models.
As the project moves forward, CFX is expected to release solicitations for professional services, design-build teams, construction packages, right-of-way acquisition support, environmental mitigation and tolling systems. Once delivered, the Southport Connector Expressway is expected to play a central role in addressing congestion, supporting economic growth and improving travel reliability in one of Central Florida’s fastest-growing regions.
Photo by Kelly from Pexels
This story is a part of the weekly Government Contracting Pipeline digital news publication. See more of the latest government contracting news here. For more national government news, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals.
