Another popular exit on I-4 is about to close permanently as part of ongoing construction and expansion of the interstate through Orlando.

Orlando-area commuters knew this day was coming, and now it seems the I-4 Ultimate project will start making some drastic changes to traffic flow this week.

The latest changes start at Kaley Avenue, where westbound exits 81B and 81C to either side of Kaley are closing for good Tuesday night.

A detour has already been set up directing drivers off westbound I-4 at Exit 81A to Michigan Street.

DETOUR FROM WESTBOUND I-4 TO KALEY AVE. Take Exit 81A to Michigan St. Turn right onto Michigan St. Turn right on South Orange Blossom Trail. Turn right onto Kaley Ave.



Construction is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Tuesday. The closures do not include the eastbound I-4 exit to Kaley Avenue, which will remain open.

The westbound I-4 exits to Kaley Avenue in Orlando will close permanently Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015.



(Bailey Myers, Staff)

The closure is part of the I-4 Ultimate plan to create safer driving conditions on the roadways.

The Florida Department of Transportation said project will eventually combine the Michigan Street and Kaley Avenue interchanges. The construction is scheduled to take years, but FDOT said it will be well worth it.

"We want to combine those interchanges together so that they work together and still provide access to all areas to motorists," said I-4 Ultimate spokesman David Parks. "It makes this a safer area, so you don't have people weaving back and forth as people are trying to leave in a very tight space."

Currently the westbound exits for Michigan Street (81A), Kaley Avenue (81B and 81C) and State Road 408 (82A) all back up next to each other, causing major traffic on that stretch of the interstate. FDOT said it hopes a new off-ramp will alleviate those backups in the future.

The new off-ramp will create a U-Turn under I-4, so while drivers won't immediately exit onto Kaley Avenue, they will have access to it.