I-4 Ultimate: Orlando's largest homeless camp to become parking lot

ORLANDO, Fla. — The I-4 Ultimate project will soon turn the largest homeless camp in the city of Orlando into a parking lot.

For years, the camp has been under State Road 408 near the Interstate 4 interchange.

The project has caused headaches for drivers because of congestion and changes to traffic patterns. It has also caused headaches for homeless people who are drawn to the shelter of overpasses.

Outreach volunteers are working with the contractor to remove the homeless people and their belongings.

"We knew they were going to be coming through. We didn't know it was going to happen next week," said Dewey Wooden, of Hope Team.

The elimination of the camp will mean there are fewer spots for the homeless.

"We could see an increase in other spots in Orlando, or some of these folks might just decide to leave this area and go to a different area," Wooden said.

The Hope Team has placed more than 300 of the city's homeless people in housing since construction began, but 50 others still continue to live on the streets while they await housing.

"They could be in the shelter or on the streets as well," Wooden said. "They are ready to go. We just need that housing for them."

I-4 Ultimate project officials said they eliminated slopes beneath overpasses because they need to widen roads beneath I-4.

Cox Media Group