Local

Ramp to connect to SR-429 almost finished

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Drivers in Orange and Lake counties will soon have a new way to connect to State Road 429.

The Expressway Authority will soon finish a multi-million dollar project meant to ease traffic on Orange Blossom Trail in Apopka.

Driver Jose Daviola said Orange Blossom Trail traffic needs another alternative.

"It's rough. It's really bad and it's time consuming," Daviola said.

The change may cause confusion for some drivers.

The current ramp that drivers use will get a new name and a new number, even though it will still connect to the same roads.

The ramp will be named SR-451 and officials said it will give Lake County drivers a faster connection to SR-429.

Right now, they share the same ramp with West Orange County commuters.

The ramp is scheduled to be open on Jan 1.

The new ramp will also connect to Wekiva Parkway once it's complete.

The parkway was supposed to connect at the current SR-429 ramp, but designers had to shift to the Wekiva entrance because of nearby development.