"Monumental" Interchange Project Moves Forward As First New Ramp Opens

New Innovation Way Interchange Replacing Monument Parkway Junction East Of Orlando

New onramp for Beachline Expressway in Florida
The Beachline Expressway begins getting a replacement interchange this weekend as authorities open the first ramp of the new Innovation Parkway junction.

The first ramp of a revised interchange system on Florida’s Beachline Expressway will open Friday, March 31, the Central Florida Expressway Authority has announced. The new ramp will route traffic directly from the southbound lanes of Innovation Way to the westbound lanes of the State Road 528, which is the Beachline.

“Motorists traveling south on Innovation Way will be able to access the new ramp directly instead of following the existing configuration through Monument Parkway,” officials announced in a written release. Authorities said the old southbound ramp, from Monument Parkway, will close as the new ramp opens this weekend. Monument Parkway becomes International Corporate Park Boulevard south of the Beachline Expressway.

The Innovation Way interchange, about nine miles east of Orlando International Airport, will replace the Monument Parkway/ICP interchange completely by early 2018. The interchange is being updated to accommodate new development in the area, which includes a new intrastate commuter rail system, All Aboard Florida.

Detour signs will be available to guide drivers on Monument Parkway, officials said. “Motorists traveling on Monument Parkway and ICP Boulevard will be directed to head north to Innovation Way to access the new ramp,” officials wrote.

Gas Price Report For March 27, 2017

Gas price trend for March 27, 2017

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The cost of fueling up the car is about what it was this time last week, according to the latest national survey from the U.S. Energy Information Admnistration. The weekly E.I.A. fuel price survey shows retail prices remained level across many regions. Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas remains about $2.32.

Some volatility pushed prices up along the Gulf Coast and Lower Atlantic states. Conversely, Midwest drivers enjoyed an average price drop of nearly four cents. Prices remained steady elsewhere across the country.

The story was much the same for truckers, or anyone else driving a diesel vehicle. The E.I.A. weekly survey shows the price of diesel shaved about a penny per gallon, nationally, as the national average price dropped to about $2.53 per gallon.

Regional cost averages for both gasoline and diesel are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest price.

Regional Gasoline Averages:

$2.848: PADD 5 WEST COAST (INCL. CA)
$2.590: PADD 5 WEST COAST (W/O CA)
$2.372: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.303: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.276: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.263: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.184: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.207: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.087: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Regional Diesel Averages:

$2.822: PADD 5 WEST COAST
$2.724: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.593: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.586: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.597: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.487: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.458: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.378: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Note: PADD is an acronym for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts.

Gas Price Report For March 20, 2017

Gas price trend for week of March 20, 2017

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The price of gas remained relatively stable across the United States during the past week, according to the latest release from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Prices in all regions either remained the same or within a penny of last week’s figures, according to the regular E.I.A. price survey. Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas remains $2.32.

The story was quite different for truckers and drivers of other diesel-powered vehicles. The E.I.A. weekly survey shows the price of diesel went down an average of 2.5ยข per gallon, although the Gulf Coast enjoyed a surprise four-cent decline in prices. All regions had price declines ranging from one cent to four cents per gallon.

Regional cost averages for both gasoline and diesel are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest price.

Regional Gasoline Averages:

$2.849: PADD 5 WEST COAST (INCL. CA)
$2.586: PADD 5 WEST COAST (W/O CA)
$2.380: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.304: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.266: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.261: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.221: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.183: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.072: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Regional Diesel Averages:

$2.826: PADD 5 WEST COAST
$2.738: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.622: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.600: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.590: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.498: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.464: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.380: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Note: PADD is an acronym for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts.

Gas Price Report For March 13, 2017

Gas price trend for week of March 13, 2017

Fort Lauderdale, FL – With the price of crude oil falling dramatically, even as people hit the road for spring break, the price of gas finally fell in nearly all regions this week, helping pull the nation’s average gas price down for the first time this month, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. It now costs about $2.32 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas, nationwide, although regional averages vary widely.

Gas prices did jump upward across the West Coast and Rocky Mountains, by about two cents per gallon; prices across the Gulf Coast and Lower Atlantic fell by about the same amount.

Meanwhile, the cost of diesel fell across all regions, with the E.I.A. weekly survey showing a 1.5-cent decline in the average price of diesel. That shift helped push the national average down to about $2.56 per gallon.

Regional cost averages for both gasoline and diesel are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest price.

Regional Gasoline Averages:

$2.851: PADD 5 WEST COAST (INCL. CA)
$2.584: PADD 5 WEST COAST (W/O CA)
$2.386: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.305: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.273: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.259: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.217: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.191: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.075: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Regional Diesel Averages:

$2.846: PADD 5 WEST COAST
$2.761: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.628: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.617: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.617: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.512: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.491: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.419: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Note: PADD is an acronym for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts.

Florida's Turnpike Closing Overnight For One Week

North Section Of Turnpike Being Modified To Accommodate More Traffic

A five-mile stretch of Florida’s Turnpike will be closing overnight starting Monday, March 13, 2017 and continuing through Friday, March 17, 2017, officials with Florida’s Department of Transportation have announced. The closures will be in effect for a four-hour period each morning, from about 12:30 a.m. until 4:30 a.m., authorities said in a written release.

The closures are necessary, officials said, to accommodate road-widening and resurfacing along that stretch of the Turnpike, through Wildwood. Additional improvements will also improve traffic flow at the I-75 interchange with Florida’s Turnpike, officials announced.

Detours During Turnpike Closure

Path of detour on Florida's TurnpikeDrivers who want to get onto Florida’s Turnpike southbound from I-75 will have to exit I-75 at Florida’s State Road 44, then travel east to U.S. 301. From U.S. 301, drivers can travel southbound to the entrance of Florida’s Turnpike.

Drivers who are traveling north on Florida’s Turnpike will follow the same detour, but in the opposite direction. Drivers will be detoured off the turnpike at Exit 304, then turned north on U.S. 301 to Florida State Road 44. Drivers will then be detoured west on SR 44 to I-75.

Gas Price Report For March 6, 2017

Gas price trend for week of March 6, 2017

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The cost of driving is hitting new highs, even as spring break begins for many travelers; according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the nation’s average gas price jumped nearly three cents per gallon, pushing to just over $2.34 per gallon.

Prices lurched upward in the Midwest, with more modest increases seen across the Gulf Coast and West Coast regions, according to the weekly gas price survey. However, like last week, prices across the East Coast either held steady or declined slightly.

Meanwhile, the cost of diesel remained steady, with the E.I.A. weekly survey showing just a 2/10 penny increase in the average price of diesel. That little movement kept the national average at $2.58 per gallon.

Regional cost averages for both gasoline and diesel are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest price.

Regional Gasoline Averages:

$2.832: PADD 5 WEST COAST (INCL. CA)
$2.542: PADD 5 WEST COAST (W/O CA)
$2.388: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.287: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.285: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.267: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.258: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.215: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.094: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Regional Diesel Averages:

$2.877: PADD 5 WEST COAST
$2.780: PADD 1b CENTRAL ATLANTIC
$2.646: PADD 1a NEW ENGLAND
$2.633: PADD 1 EAST COAST
$2.625: PADD 4 ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$2.525: PADD 1c LOWER ATLANTIC
$2.502: PADD 2 MIDWEST
$2.429: PADD 3 GULF COAST

Note: PADD is an acronym for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts.