FL I-4 or alternate?

[Winemaker2]

We are traveling from Jacksonville FL to Lake Wales on a Sunday...
In 30 yrs of motorhoming I have avoided I-4 as it seems like a major traffic risk. Due to our destination it looks like I-4 is a much shorter route than alternatives. Wondering what others experience has been and if other viable alternatives are better.
I have primarily used I-75 when heading south to Tampa or Port Charlotte so familiar with that. Any comments, experience, alternatives appreciated.
Note... at least I have this scheduled for a Sunday which in our experience has been a much easier day for travel.

[hogdriver]

I-4, what a mess. It’s like a California freeway. I live about 30 m SW of Disney and the way the roads work there are very few alternatives to I-4 to to East or North thru Orlando. It all depends on Disney traffic. If there is no traffic I can drive into Orlando in 30 mins. If Disney visitors are on the road, especially WEEKENDS, it’ll be 1 to 1-1/2 Hrs. From my observations it seems worse at 9-11 AM and at 3-6pm. Middle of the day or at night seems better. If it is raining, it will be slow because some fool will be texting and slam into another car in the bumper to bumper traffic and then the road completely stops.

If you use Apple Maps my phone shows delays. If that road shows red, I’d detour around. Try FL-33, or US-17.

[SteveJ.]

A route like this would avoid the big O mess but add drive time(an hour?). You will get a bit hung up coming through Eustis/Mount Dora/Tavares area but otherwise just pleasant back roads once you leave the Jax area, mostly 2 lane.

https://goo.gl/maps/BF2idyHiEETfBvm26

[VDPDan]

I like US-301 / I-75. @Wildwood would be FLA Turnpike leg that I am not familiar with. But the US-301 route (watch for speed traps) is a nice part of the "real" FLA. Depending on where you are starting from in JAX area, maybe get to US-301 from I-10 or 103rd St

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by SteveJ.

A route like this would avoid the big O mess but add drive time(an hour?). You will get a bit hung up coming through Eustis/Mount Dora/Tavares area but otherwise just pleasant back roads once you leave the Jax area, mostly 2 lane.



https://goo.gl/maps/BF2idyHiEETfBvm26

The link didn't stay w back roads it reverted to I-4.
I'm very familiar w 17 & 19 through Ocaka forest, Eustis, Mt Dora but haven't been further S that way. I was concerned that closer to Big O it might be very slow but just guessing... maybe better on a Sun.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by VDPDan

I like US-301 / I-75. @Wildwood would be FLA Turnpike leg that I am not familiar with. But the US-301 route (watch for speed traps) is a nice part of the "real" FLA. Depending on where you are starting from in JAX area, maybe get to US-301 from I-10 or 103rd St

VDPDan
That is my usual route when headed S of Tampa towards Port Charlotte, Ft Meyers and pretty comfortable with it especially on a Sun. It adds about 50 mi & an hour vs I-4 but that's if all us clear. I know an accident can easily waste an hour. Still debating which is better.

[johnhicks]

Palatka to Hawthorn to Ocala. Then I-75/Turnpike to US-27 just past Okahumpka (Exit 289). Traffic can be pretty thick through the Clermont area; if you want you could take FL-19 down to Groveland, then FL-33 to CR-474 east to US-27. There's no good approach from the east without going all the way down to FL-60

On a Sunday, though, if you're daring: I-95 to CR-407 past Titusville, then FL-528 (toll) to FL-417 (toll) southwestward to I-4 at Celebration, then US-27 southwards.

[Winemaker2]

Originally Posted by hogdriver

I-4, what a mess. It’s like a California freeway. I live about 30 m SW of Disney and the way the roads work there are very few alternatives to I-4 to to East or North thru Orlando. It all depends on Disney traffic. If there is no traffic I can drive into Orlando in 30 mins. If Disney visitors are on the road, especially WEEKENDS, it’ll be 1 to 1-1/2 Hrs. From my observations it seems worse at 9-11 AM and at 3-6pm. Middle of the day or at night seems better. If it is raining, it will be slow because some fool will be texting and slam into another car in the bumper to bumper traffic and then the road completely stops.

If you use Apple Maps my phone shows delays. If that road shows red, I’d detour around. Try FL-33, or US-17.

Dave
Thanks... appreciate someone with lots of local knowledge.
The good news is I'd hit I-4 mid day on Sun so kess risky but certainly not risk free.
Any comments on 33 vs 27? I am also familiar w 17, 19 thru Ocala forest and considering 19 to 27 to avoid interstates most of the way.

Or I could run I-95 to I-4 but take 44 from DeLand to 19 to 27 avoiding the majority of and hi risk areas of I-4

[BeaverDen]

It may cost a little $ in tolls but the 417 is the route I would choose

[kdnash]

I would suggest 95,528,417,27. We drive this route fairly often and occasionally we encounter slow traffic when coming back east in the afternoon. Using 417 by passes a lot of the Disney related jams. We use Sunpass for tolls.

[Surf Fisher]

I live in Flagler Beach FL 25 miles north of Daytona Beach. We just returned from a Monaco Rally held at Lazy Days in Seffner FL. I always use I-4 to cross the state. Sure, there is always traffic somewhere on I-4 but it is mostly due to stupid driver's causing an accident which causes more stupid drivers to rubberneck the situation instead of minding their own business keeping the traffic flowing properly.

The 10 years of construction on I-4 around the Orlando area is pretty much completed. The bottleneck is now around the exit for route 27 which is Exit 55 where they are doing more construction.

There is always road construction going on somewhere. It's just something you have to deal with.

[hamm2018]

We were at the Thousand Trails Park in Orlando before and after Thanksgiving time period last year. We took I-4 to Tampa, not bad going over but coming back, different story. We would get off of the I-4 at the 27 exits, one night there was an accident, 4 miles further east. We had to crawl 4 miles to get to the exit for 27, an hour later. There was construction west after Hwy 27 toward Tampa. That area wasn't bad, compared to Orlando.
At that time, they were talking about the new toll roads for I-4 being completed.

When I was in the Navy, I was stationed in Orlando for the nuclear power school training in 81. Talk about the differences now, OBT is even bigger than that time.

We went from Mayport Naval Station down to Wildwood, the Thousand Trails Park, 3 Flags. We took 10 west to 301 south. At Waldo we picked up 24 west, then picked up the 331 in Gainesville to I-75 south to Wildwood. After Wildwood we went to the Orlando TT Park, straight down Hwy 27.

[allenb12]

No body mentioned taking 429. 95 to 44 at Deland or 46 at Sanford over to 429 that puts you on I4 at Disney for just a few miles.

Never had any trouble on 429. However, it is a toll road.

[Larry]

I just go on I4 to Haines and down 27 to Lake Wales. Just have to try and time it to mid day. When going home I don't rush to leave early because it will be dead stopped in the morning. Most of the construction is wrapping up that was causing mid day problems a couple of years ago.