FDOT Begins U.S. 27 Construction at I-4 Interchange, Public Meeting Set for July 28 in Haines City
Construction is underway at one of Polk County’s busiest interchanges, and state transportation officials want residents to weigh in on what comes next.
The Florida Department of Transportation began accelerated congestion relief work at the Interstate 4 and U.S. 27 interchange in early summer 2026, ahead of a full reconstruction planned under Project 3 of the Moving I-4 Forward Program. A public meeting on Project 3 is scheduled for July 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lake Eva Event Center, 799 Johns Ave. in Haines City. On-site parking is free.
The current construction phase adds one travel lane on U.S. 27 southbound in the interchange area and reconfigures the intersection at Posner Boulevard and Home Run Boulevard using a Restricted Crossing U-turn design, known as an RCUT. The work also includes temporary nightly lane closures, updated pavement markings and signalization changes.
RCUT intersections redirect left-turn movements from side streets, requiring drivers to turn right and then make a U-turn at a designated signalized median opening. According to the Federal Highway Administration, RCUT designs can increase traffic flow by up to 30 percent and reduce travel times by up to 40 percent. The design also adds a diagonal pedestrian crossing, known as a Z-crossing, with the center median serving as a refuge point away from traffic.
FDOT describes the I-4 and U.S. 27 interchange as one of the busiest in the state. The accelerated work builds on congestion-relief lanes opened on I-4 in April 2025 and is intended to improve safety and reduce wait times at the westbound I-4 exit ramp to U.S. 27, while Project 3’s full interchange reconstruction moves through planning.
At the July 28 public meeting, project team members will be on hand to answer questions and share details about both the accelerated improvements and the broader Project 3 plans. Displays and a looping informational video will be available throughout the session.
Comments submitted on or before Aug. 7, 2026, will be included in the public meeting record and can be submitted by email to [email protected] or by mail to the Florida Department of Transportation Corridors Program Office, 1170 Celebration Blvd., Suite 200, Kissimmee, FL 32778.
Persons requiring ADA accommodations or free translation services should email [email protected] at least seven days before the meeting. Hearing or speech-impaired individuals may use the Florida Relay Service at (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (voice).
More information is available at movingi4forward.com.
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Sources: Florida Department of Transportation Corridors Program Office, Moving I-4 Forward Project 3 Public Meeting, movingi4forward.com/project-3-public-meeting, accessed July 13, 2026.; Florida Department of Transportation Corridors Program Office, U.S. 27 Accelerated Congestion Relief, movingi4forward.com/US27, accessed July 13, 2026.; Florida Department of Transportation Corridors Program Office, U.S. 27 Accelerated Congestion Relief Fact Sheet, movingi4forward.com, accessed July 13, 2026.; Florida Department of Transportation Corridors Program Office, Moving I-4 Forward Project 3 Informational Handout, movingi4forward.com, accessed July 13, 2026.
