Located in the middle of the state and just east of Tampa, Lakeland, Fla., is the center of a booming state. One of the main highways in the city of approximately 125,000 is SR 33. The route runs between Lake and Polk counties.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and general contractor Lane Construction are in the midst of the I-4 at SR 33 Interchange Improvements and Wildlife Crossings project.

Long Time Coming

The project was set to move forward in 2014. However, it was shelved until the 2023 legislative session, when the governor marked this project as one of the moving Florida forward initiative projects. The designation came with allocating the funding necessary to complete the project.

Why the new designation and the sudden rush to move forward?

"There's been significant growth over the last decade and ensuring we have the capacity for future growth is a concern," said David Jones, construction project manager of FDOT.

Jones oversees the day-to-day operations of the project and provides oversight of the inspection team.

The area is home to numerous industries, and more are on the drawing board.

"Building permits are being processed all the time north and south of the corridor," Jones said.

The ADT along SR 33 in the area is just north of 14,000, with truck traffic accounting for 16 percent.

There also are apartment complexes being built along that corridor, leading to more bike and pedestrian traffic.

The area is home to Lower Green Swamp Preserve (a massive nature reserve that spans multiple counties in central Florida) and Tenoroc Public Use Area (an area used for fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking, etc.). Wildlife moves between the two public spaces.

The diverse activities in the area have impacted the project components.

The project has four segments. Initially, the project focused strictly on segments related to increasing capacity and improving traffic flow. Later, FDOT added segments addressing wildlife concerns.

Four Segments

FDOT photo

The project includes four distinct segments. However, they are under one contract, and the contractor has the leeway, "… to construct it as one whole project or individually," Jones said.

Segment one involves widening a stretch of SR 33 from a four-lane to an eight-lane divided urban roadway.

Segment two focuses on reconstructing an interchange at SR 33 and I-4, which crosses over the state route.

"The existing overhead bridge clearance of 14 feet, nine inches does not meet the minimum required clearance of 16 feet six inches," according to FDOT. "In addition, the area under the bridges is not wide enough for the four-lane widening of SR 33."

Jones noted this segment requires reconstructing three major bridges and installing two roundabouts (the team is installing two others as part of the first segment).

There have been some crashes along the corridor, so FDOT conducted a traffic study to determine how to improve safety.

"We found the roundabouts are the most efficient and most effective at reducing those crashes and serious injuries and things like that," Jones said.

Brian Bollas, an FDOT community outreach manager, said, "Roundabouts reduce injuries and crashes up to 70 to 90 percent, depending upon whether it's vehicular or bike-ped. But more importantly, when there is a crash, it's a less severe type of crash. The injuries are fewer, and the cost of repairs are less."

Segment three's main element is the SR 33 wildlife underpass. The team will "…replace an existing box culvert with a new bridge crossing designed to convey drainage and provide paths for wildlife to pass under SR 33. The crossing will be located on SR 33 approximately 1.8 mi. north of the I-4/SR 33 interchange.

Segment four will feature the installation of a new wildlife crossing. The 44-ft.-wide bridge will connect Tenoroc Management Area to the south.

Wildlife expected to use the bridge includes deer, black bears, coyotes, panthers, alligators and more. In the past, the animals have been confined to the area (and off the roadway) with fencing. There was limited access between the areas.

Jones expects the wildlife to find their way to the crossing.

"It's amazing how intuitive wildlife can be, especially when they're provided with the opportunity to do something. They'll naturally find their way across."

Changing Landscape

Central Florida receives a lot of rain, and hurricanes are an annual issue.

FDOT photo

"Since the original survey in 2014, the area has been further developed and been hit by hurricanes," Jones said. "They've changed the existing ground and landscape."

The amount of rain can also cause fluctuation in the water table in the area.

Therefore, the elevation level of some of the ponds noted on the survey was inaccurate. The inaccuracy has necessitated a need to resurvey some things during construction.

The higher water table in some areas has necessitated extensive dewatering efforts by the team. They've also needed to complete a significant amount of excavation and bring in fill.

Another challenge the team encountered in the early stages of the project was coordinating with Duke Energy. The company is building a transmission line directly over the planned wildlife crossing.

The team needed to let Duke know six months in advance for de-energizing.

"Our contractor was able to expedite the work and get the piles driven before Duke electrified their lines," Jones said

The team began the project in early 2025 and is expected to conclude in summer 2029. So far, the project is on schedule and budget. The project has a budget of $190 million. Jones said that the team has worked well together and made adjustments as needed.

When the team completes the project, the widened highway will accommodate the higher traffic counts. Entry and egress onto SR 33 will be easier. In addition, traffic flow will be smoother as some traffic lights are being removed (and replaced by roundabouts). This is expected to increase the average travel speed of people through the corridor. Finally, wildlife in the area will be able to safely and freely roam.  CEG