Florida State Road 408

State Road 408
Spessard L. Holland East-West Expressway
Route information
Maintained by FTE and CFX
Length:	22.107 mi[1][2] (35.578 km)
Existed:	October 26, 1973 – present
Major junctions
West end:	Turnpike in Gotha
	I‑4 in Orlando SR 417 near Union Park
East end:	SR 50 near Bithlo
Location
Counties:	Orange
Highway system
Florida State Highway System Interstate US SR Former Pre-1945 Toll ← SR 407 SR 414 →

State Road 408 (SR 408), also known as the Spessard L. Holland East-West Expressway, is a tolled expressway running east–west through Orlando, Florida, United States. It is owned and operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), except for the westernmost mile (1.5 km), which is owned by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise as a connection to Florida's Turnpike. The road runs from the Turnpike in Gotha, east through downtown Orlando, where it intersects with Interstate 4, ending near State Road 50 south of the University of Central Florida.

A short connection to State Road 417, originally part of the main line of SR 408, is now a spur of SR 408,^[3] and is sometimes labeled State Road 4080.^[4] The right-of-way where SR 408 once ended at State Road 50 west of State Road 435 (Kirkman Road) was once called State Road 4081.^[5]

Route description

SR 408 begins at Florida's Turnpike, heading east towards its official western terminus at West Colonial Drive, (State Road 50) near Ocoee. After the interchange with Good Homes Road (exit 2), the tollway passes through the Hiawassee barrier toll, the first of four mainline toll barriers. From there, SR 408 serpentines eastward through the neighborhoods of Orlo Vista and Pine Hills making major junctions with State Road 435 (Kirkman Road), passing through the Pine Hills barrier toll east of Pine Hills Road, State Road 423 (John Young Parkway), and U.S. Route 441 (Orange Blossom Trail), with the Citrus Bowl being accessible from the Orange Blossom Trail exit. East of the exit, the high rise skyline of Central Orlando becomes visible. The east-west Expressway makes a major junction with Interstate 4 in Downtown and proceedes eastward to the Conway Toll Plaza, followed by major junctions with State Road 436 (Semoran Boulevard), and State Road 417 (Central Florida Greeneway). The route continues through the Dean Road Toll Plaza and the exits to State Road 434 (Alafaya Trail) and State Road 50 (East Colonial Drive). The tollway's eastern terminus is Challenger Parkway, however Challenger Parkway continues until Alafaya Trail.

SR 408 runs almost entirely parallel to State Road 50 throughout its entire course. At the 408/417 spur is the only location where SR 408 stops running parallel to SR 50 and takes a northeastely turn which takes it from being parallel to SR 50.

Tolls

There are four Mainline Toll Plazas on the tollway and each of them have at least two express lanes dedicated to E-Pass/SunPass for Electronic Toll Collection, which do not require motorists to stop at a booth, as well as lanes dedicated to cash collection. Except for the Mills off ramp, which only provides to exact change, the Ramp Toll Plazas have a lane dedicated to ETC and exact change only, with no change provided.

The current toll rates took effect in July 2012.^[6]

History

Initial segment

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority had been formed in 1963 for the purpose of building the Bee Line Expressway. In early 1966, while that road was still under construction, Governor Haydon Burns asked the OOCEA to look into an east–west freeway across downtown Orlando to relieve traffic on State Road 50 (Colonial Drive). An engineering study recommended a western terminus at SR 50 west of State Road 435 (Kirkman Road) and an eastern terminus at SR 50 east of Goldenrod Road (State Road 15A). One alternate ran close to SR 50, while the other - which was chosen by June 1969 - ran further south. Bonds were sold in May 1971. In December of that year, the OOCEA voted to name it the Spessard Lindsay Holland East-West Expressway, in honor of Spessard Holland, who had just retired from representing Florida in the U.S. Senate. Groundbreaking was held just east of Semoran Boulevard on February 5, 1972.^[7]

The final design took SR 408 across Interstate 4 just south of Anderson Street. The interchange - a double trumpet - connected to I-4 south of Gore Street, and resulted in the closure of four of the six ramps at Gore Street, which had intersected I-4 with a six-ramp partial cloverleaf. (The loops were in the southwest and southeast quadrants.) To the east, SR 408 crossed Lake Underhill. East of Goldenrod Road, the decision was made in 1970 to temporarily include three at-grade intersections at Chickasaw Trail, Valencia College Lane and Millinocket Lane.^[7]

Former East-West Expressway shield, with an orange

The west half, from SR 50 to Mills Avenue, opened October 26, 1973. The rest was completed by December 11. The two barrier toll plazas - Holland West and Holland East - each charged 20 cents, while the ramp tolls - present at Orange Blossom Trail, Mills Avenue, Bumby Avenue, Conway Road and Semoran Boulevard, charged 10 cents. The Florida Department of Transportation took over operation and maintenance, giving revenues to the OOCEA. The final cost of the 13.3-mile (21.4 km) road was about $89 million.^[7]

Most tolls were doubled on January 1, 1987.^[7]

Eastern extension

An Aerial View of the former Valencia College Lane/SR 4080, also a perfect example of a Single-point urban interchange

Prior to the start of construction on the eastern extension, the Northeastern Beltway (State Road 417) was built north from the existing east end of the East-West at SR 50. As part of this project, in 1987 and 1988, two ramps were added to the Goldenrod Road interchange to make it full, and the three at-grade intersections were removed - Chickasaw Trail became an overpass, Valencia College Lane became an interchange, and Millinockett Lane was simply cut. Ramp tolls were added at Valencia College Lane and SR 50, adding to the cost of traveling the original East-West once tolling on the new road began January 1, 1989.^[7]

By 1984, the alignment of the eastern extension of SR 408 had been chosen. The area was planned to be developed, and the OOCEA hoped to build the road before development made that impossible. Construction began in 1987, and the west piece, from existing SR 408 (redesignated SR 4080) to Rouse Road, opened May 12, 1989. The rest of the six-mile (10 km) road opened in June, with a total cost of $105 million. This project included a full interchange with the planned Southeastern Beltway (opened April 14, 1990), the Dean Road barrier toll, as well as a connection at the east end to the Central Florida Research Park. A wide median was left where the road curves north to end at SR 50 for further extension, but the land to the east has since been developed.^[7]

A "free movement" section, the only one on SR 408, still exists between Exit 10B (Interstate 4 Eastbound) and Exit 10C (Orange Avenue). Motorists may travel between these two exits without incurring a toll.

Western extension

A connection to Florida's Turnpike and the planned Western Beltway was studied in 1985. (The Beltway, which would have run where Clarke Road now is, was soon shifted west.) Construction on the 4.5-mile (7 km) extension began in mid-1989 and was completed on October 8, 1990, costing $102 million total. The former west end at SR 50 west of Kirkman Road was temporarily designated SR 4081 during construction, and became a retention pond. A fourth barrier toll - the Hiawassee Road plaza - was added to the road. The extension was designed to have a full interchange with the Turnpike, but originally only the north-pointing ramps were built. The full interchange with the Turnpike was completed in August 2006. A temporary ticket system booth was installed until the Turnpike switched to a coin system in 1991.^[7]

Later changes

Tolls were again raised July 1, 1990, to 75 cents at barrier tolls and 50 cents on ramps. After public backlash, an experiment began October 11, 1992, in which some of the changes were reverted. The Hiawassee Road and Dean Road barriers were dropped back to 50 cents, and ramp tolls at Hiawassee Road, Valencia College Lane, Dean Road and Rouse Road were cut to 25 cents. The OOCEA board voted on June 17, 1993 to make the changes permanent.^[7]

Due to confusion resulting from the four named toll roads in the Orlando area (East-West Expressway, Bee Line Expressway, Eastern Beltway and Seminole County Expressway), the OOCEA decided in 1992 to use the numbers that had already been designated by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The old orange symbol was replaced by the number 408 in the new toll road symbol, recently approved by FDOT. Signs were changed in 1993.^[7]

At some point in the late 1990s, the John Young Parkway (SR 423) interchange was completed; it had formerly only had ramps to and from the east.

The rebuilt Hiawassee Road toll plaza with express E-Pass lanes

All the mainline toll plazas were reconstructed with express E-Pass lanes in the latter half of the 2000s. On November 10, 2006, the new Pine Hills Main Toll Plaza opened 2 miles (3.2 km) west as a replacement of the now demolished Holland West Toll Plaza. The new toll plaza features three express E-Pass lanes in both directions with open road tolling.

At the western end of the expressway a new set of ramps to Florida's Turnpike opened in August 2006. Previously it was only possible for westbound traffic to go northbound on the Turnpike. A new ramp allows traffic to also go southbound on the Turnpike. Likewise, previously only southbound Turnpike traffic could exit onto eastbound TOLL 408. A new ramp on the northbound Turnpike allows traffic to enter eastbound TOLL 408. New west facing ramps opened in March 2007 at Good Homes Road, joining pre-existing east facing ramps.

Starting in September 2003, a $600 million widening project occurred in the central and western part of the road. As part of the project, two through lanes were added along the entire length of the expressway from Hiawassee Road in the west to Oxalis Road (just east of the SR 436 interchange) in the east. The section from downtown Orlando to Hiawassee Road was completed in Spring 2007. The entire project was completed in June 2010.

In the summer of 2010, the Expressway Authority began the widening of SR 408 from Oxalis Avenue to Goldenrod Road as well as the widening of the SR 408 Chickasaw Trail Bridge. This project was completed in March 2012.^[8] In addition, the interchange with SR 417 was expanded. This resulted in the elimination of SR 4080 and the interchange with Valencia College Lane. Traffic to Valencia College was redirected to Chickasaw Trail and Dean Road.^[9]

Future

A new stack interchange with Interstate 4 near downtown Orlando is partially completed. One construction phase began in April 2006 and was completed in November 2008. Due to a lack of funds, the rest of the interchange project has been halted and will be resumed when the I-4 Ultimate is being constructed. The ramp that originally handled all traffic merging from I-4 now only handles I-4 East, leaving abandoned lanes. A ramp stub was constructed in advance of completing the conversion to stack interchange, on 408 West.^[10]

The Florida Department of Transportation was responsible for this project. The completion of the stack interchange is now part of the "I-4 Ultimate" improvement project, which is expected to commence in late 2014, though an exact timeline for this particular interchange is uncertain.^[11]

The OOCEA 2025 Master Plan (2000) suggested extending SR 408 further east toward the west end of SR 520.^[12] In the OOCEA 2030 Master Plan, this proposed extension was further extended to I-95 in Brevard County.^[13]

Exit list

The entire route is in Orange County.

Location	mi[1][2]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Gotha	0.000	0.000	–	Turnpike (SR 91) – Ocala, Miami	Western terminus; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; Turnpike exit 265
	0.898	1.445	1	SR 50 (West Colonial Drive)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	1.552	2.498	2	Good Homes Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.28 E-Pass, $0.50 cash)
	2.3[14]	3.7	Hiawassee Mainline Toll Plaza ($0.82 E-Pass, $1 cash)
	3.335	5.367	4	Hiawassee Road	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash)
Orlo Vista	4.520	7.274	5	SR 435 (Kirkman Road)
	5.112	8.227	6	CR 431 (Pine Hills Road)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	5.5[14]	8.9	Pine Hills Mainline Toll Plaza ($1.09 E-Pass, $1.25 cash)
	6.191	9.963	7	CR 526 (Old Winter Garden Road)	Ramp tolls ($0.82 E-Pass, $1 cash); westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	7.272	11.703	8A	SR 423 (John Young Parkway)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.82 E-Pass, $1 cash)
Orlando	7.936	12.772	8B	Tampa Avenue	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	8.447	13.594	9	US 17 / US 92 / US 441 (Orange Blossom Trail / SR 500 / SR 600)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash)
	9.017	14.511	10A-B	I‑4 (SR 400) – Tampa, Daytona Beach	signed as exits 10A (west) and 10B (east); I-4 exit 82A
	11.917– 12.239	19.179– 19.697	Bridge over Lake Underhill
	9.629	15.496	10C	SR 527 (Orange Avenue) – Downtown Orlando	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; formerly exit 10B
	9.629	15.496	11A	Rosalind Avenue (SR 527)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	10.292	16.563	11B	Mills Avenue (SR 15)	no westbound entrance; eastbound exit ramp toll ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash)
	11.21	18.04	12A	Bumby Avenue (via SR 15 south)	Ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash); eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	11.71	18.85	12B	Crystal Lake Drive (via SR 15 north)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; former SR 526
	12.484	20.091	13	SR 15 (South Conway Road)	Ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash); eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	13.1[14]	21.1	Conway East-West Mainline Toll Plaza ($1.09 E-Pass, $1.25 cash)
	13.750	22.128	14	SR 436 (Semoran Boulevard) / Andes Avenue – Airport	Eastbound exit ramp toll: $1.09 E-Pass, $1.25 cash Westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramp tolls: $0.82 E-Pass, $1 cash
Azalea Park	15.264	24.565	16	SR 551 (Goldenrod Road)
	15.81	25.44	17	Chickasaw Trail to Valencia College Lane	eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	17.029	27.406	18	SR 417 – Orlando International Airport, Sanford	SR 417 exit 33
	17.856	28.736	19	Dean Road (CR 425)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash)
	18.4[14]	29.6	Dean Mainline Toll Plaza ($0.82 E-Pass, $1 cash)
	19.126	30.780	20	Rouse Road	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramp tolls ($0.55 E-Pass, $0.75 cash)
Waterford Lakes	20.327	32.713	21	Alafaya Trail (CR 434)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	21.958	35.338	23	SR 50 (East Colonial Drive)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Central Florida Research Park	22.107	35.578	–	Challenger Parkway	continuation beyond exit 23
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

References

External links

Route map: Bing

• Terraserver "Urban Areas" image of SR 4080
• TerraServer "Urban Areas" image of former SR 4081
• CFX - SR 408
• Florida @ SouthEastRoads - Florida 408