Bulldozers and cranes are now a regular sight where State Road 516 will tie into SR‑429 in West Orange County, as work ramps up on Central Florida’s newest toll corridor. Transportation officials say the first stretch of the 4.4‑mile Lake/Orange Expressway is still on pace for a spring 2027 debut, promising a faster east‑west link between Orange and Lake counties and some relief for chronically clogged SR‑50 and U.S. 192. A short section of the new road will also double as a test track for wireless electric‑vehicle charging at highway speeds.
According to the Central Florida Expressway Authority, construction on SR‑516 carries an estimated price tag of about $546 million and officially began in April 2024, with work projected to continue through 2029. The agency’s spring 2026 fact sheet breaks the effort into three segments and identifies Segment 3, the county‑line interchange with SR‑429, as the portion set to open first in spring 2027. The document also highlights toll gantries, bridge construction, and a new stretch of Valencia Parkway that will run alongside the interchange.
Overnight closures and detours
Drivers around Horizon West will feel the work most at night. SR‑429 is scheduled to close overnight between Seidel Road and New Independence Parkway from Sunday, March 8, through Saturday, March 14, with traffic pushed onto marked detours from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Avalon Road will serve as the primary detour route, and transportation officials are urging motorists to follow posted signs and add to their travel time until crews clear out. Those timing and routing details were reported by WESH.
EV charging pilot and habitat protections
A roughly half‑mile segment of SR‑516 is being set aside to test dynamic wireless charging that would allow specially equipped electric vehicles to recharge while cruising at highway speeds. Industry coverage notes that the expressway authority previously committed about $13.6 million to a corridor-based pilot to advance dynamic‑wireless charging research, according to ENR. The project also incorporates context‑sensitive design features, including a wildlife tunnel intended to help protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor and a multi‑use trail that will connect to the Florida Coast‑to‑Coast Trail, according to the Central Florida Expressway Authority.
What it means for commuters and growth
Local leaders and nearby residents say SR‑516 is being built to unlock development in Lake County’s Wellness Way area, trim daily commute times, and provide another evacuation route when major storms roll through. Developers and real‑estate agents told local outlets the new corridor could shift where growth happens between Clermont and Horizon West and ease congestion on two‑lane roads like Schofield. That community context was reported by Spectrum News 13.
Construction will continue in phases through 2029, so drivers should expect periodic lane shifts, construction noise, and around‑the‑clock activity in nearby work zones while major bridge and ramp work is underway. Motorists are asked to obey work‑zone signs and follow posted detours as the project moves ahead.
