Less than a year after the first wildlife crossing under Interstate 4 opened in Polk County, another passage is in the works.
As part of the replacement of the State Road 33 interchange, the Florida Department of Transportation is constructing a wildlife overpass on I-4 about six miles to the west.
Contractors have installed three test pilings for the crossing, which will be the first dedicated wildlife overpass in Florida, FDOT spokesperson Patricia Pichette said. Though construction has begun, the overpass is not expected to welcome its first paws and hooves until late 2027.
While the crossing is tied to the SR 33 interchange project, it is located 1.6 miles east of that junction. The location, just east of the former Conn’s HomePlus center, was chosen for its proximity to the Tenoroc Public Use Area to the south.
The crossing will constitute a 44-foot-wide bridge crossing all lanes of I-4 and extending about 1,700 feet. Design plans include concrete barriers with noise walls or fencing on either side, with a thick layer of topsoil on the bridge to encourage plant growth.
Contractors will also install walls and fencing south and north of the overpass, creating a protected funnel to direct wildlife toward the crossing. The wildlife crossing will leave room in the median of I-4 for a multi‐modal corridor, allowing for construction of a future rail line, the FDOT said.
The project will prompt some lane closures, Pichette said. The setting of 8-foot beams will cause full closures in one direction at a time, with traffic using detours. The placement of the bridge framework and the bridge decks also will likely prompt full closures.