Airports
- The Orlando International Airport (MCO) is Orlando's primary airport and the second-busiest airport in the state of Florida closely behind Miami International Airport. The airport serves as a hub and a focus hub city for Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Frontier Airlines. The airport serves as a major international gateway for the mid-Florida region with major foreign carriers including Lufthansa, Air Canada, British Airways, WestJet, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates Airlines, Aer Lingus, TAM, and Aeroméxico.
- The Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) in nearby suburb of Sanford, Florida serves as a secondary airport for the region and is a focus city airport for Allegiant Air.
- The Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) near Downtown Orlando serves primarily executive jets, flight training schools, and general small-aircraft aviation.
Roads
Orlando, like other major cities, experiences gridlock and traffic jams daily, especially when commuting from the northern suburbs in Seminole County south to downtown and from the eastern suburbs of Orange County to Downtown. Heavy traffic is also common in the tourist district south of downtown. Rush hours (peak traffic hours) are usually weekday mornings (after 7 am) and afternoons (after 4 pm). There are various traffic advisory resources available for commuters including downloading the Tele-Traffic App (available for iPhone and Android), dialing 5-1-1 (a free automated traffic advisory system provided by the Florida Department of Transportation, available by dialing 511), visiting the Florida 511 Web site, listening to traffic reports on major radio stations, and reading electronic traffic advisory displays (also called Variable-message signs, information is also provided by FDOT) on the major highways and roadways.Major highways
Interstate 4 is Orlando's primary interstate highway. Orlando is the second-largest city served by one interstate, preceding Austin, Texas, and is the largest metropolitan area in the US serviced by a single interstate. The interstate begins in Tampa, Florida and travels northeast across the midsection of the state directly through Orlando, ending in Daytona Beach.
As a key connector to Orlando's suburbs, downtown, area attractions,
and both coasts, I-4 commonly experiences heavy traffic and congestion.
I-4 is also known as State Road 400.
East-West Expressway (Toll 408) is a major east–west highway managed by the Central Florida Expressway Authority. The highway intersects with I-4 in Downtown Orlando, providing a key artery for residents commuting from eastern and western suburbs including the University of Central Florida and Waterford Lakes area. The highway also intersects with the Central Florida Greeneway (Toll 417) and Florida's Turnpike.
By late 2006, the I-4/408 interchange had almost completed undergoing a
major overhaul that creates multiple fly-over bridges and connectors to
ease heavy traffic. The agency recently[when?]
finished construction of lane expansions, new toll plazas, and sound
barriers along the roadway, though much work remains to be done.
Beachline Expressway (Toll 528) provides key access to the Orlando International Airport and serves as a gateway to the Atlantic coast, specifically Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral.
Central Florida Greenway (Toll 417) is a key highway for East Orlando, the highway is also managed by the Central Florida Expressway Authority and serves as Orlando's eastern beltway. The highway intersects with the East-West Expressway (Toll 408), the Beachline Expressway (Toll 528), and begins and ends on Interstate 4.
Daniel Webster Western Beltway
(Toll 429) serves as Orlando's western beltway. The highway serves as a
"back entrance" to Walt Disney World from Orlando's northwestern
suburbs including Apopka via Florida's Turnpike.
John Land Apopka Expressway (Toll 414) A new east to west tollway serving northern Orlando. Phase I opened on February 14, 2009 and extends from US 441 to State Road 429. Phase II will link SR 429 to US 441 several miles west of the current SR 429 intersection.
Florida's Turnpike (Toll 91) is a major highway that connects northern Florida with Orlando and terminates in Miami.
Rail
The Orlando area is served by one through railroad. The line, now known as the Central Florida Rail Corridor (CFRC), was previously known as the "A" line (formerly the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's main line). The line was purchased from CSX Transportation by the State of Florida in 2013 and is now used by SunRail, the Central Florida commuter rail system. Some freight spurs still exist off of the line, which are operated by the Florida Central Railroad. Amtrak passenger service runs along CFRC. See also a map of these railroads.
Platform-side, Orlando Amtrak Station
Historically, Orlando's other major railroad stations have included:
- Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Orlando station (now Church Street Station, a commercial development)
- Seaboard Air Line Railroad Orlando station (Central Avenue Station; 1898–1955.)
Commuter rail
Main article: SunRail
In 2005, federal and state funding was granted for the establishment of SunRail, a local commuter rail service, to operate on the former CSX "A" line tracks between DeLand and Poinciana,
passing through the downtown area and surrounding urban neighborhoods
along the way. The service is expected to substantially reduce traffic
congestion along the I-4 corridor, especially between Downtown Orlando
and the suburban communities in Seminole and Volusia Counties. Federal
and state funds covered approximately 80% of the estimated $400 million
cost for track modifications and construction of stations along the
route. The counties involved approved local matching funds in 2007 and
the line was originally projected to begin operations in 2011.[79]
However, the project was ultimately voted down by Florida State Senate
in 2008 and again in 2009 due to an amendment that would have approved a
$200 million insurance policy for the system. Although there had been
growing concern the system would be scrapped, a deadline extension
combined with a new insurance arrangement with CSX brought new hope that
SunRail will be completed after all.[80]
In a special session in December 2009, the Florida Legislature approved
commuter rail for Florida, which also enabled high-speed rail federal funding. SunRail began passenger service on May 1, 2014. Phase I of the rail system runs from DeBary
to Sand Lake Road in South Orlando. Phase II, which isn't expected to
be completed until 2016, will connect from DeBary and continue north to DeLand, as well as extend from Sand Lake Road in Orlando south to Poinciana. Attempts to establish a smaller light rail service for the Orlando area were also considered at one time,[when?] but were also met with much resistance.High-speed rail
Main article: Florida High Speed Rail
On January 28, 2010, President Barack Obama
said that Florida would be receiving $1.25 billion to start the
construction of a statewide high-speed rail system with Orlando as its
central hub. The first stage would have connected Orlando and Tampa,
Florida and was expected to be completed by 2014. The second stage was
to connect Orlando and Miami, Florida.[81]
The project was canceled by Gov. Rick Scott in 2011, and on March 4,
2011, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously turned down the request of
two state senators to force Scott to accept federal funding for the
project. A privately funded initiative known as All Aboard Florida was announced in March 2012. Station construction is scheduled to begin in 2015.[82]Bus
Lynx provides local transit service covering a five-county area: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Polk, and Volusia.[83][84]Greyhound Lines offers intercity bus service from Orlando to multiple locations across the country. The Orlando Greyhound Station is located west of Downtown Orlando.
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