Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and City Commissioners officially opened the first phase of the President Barack Obama Parkway extension project on Tuesday.
The first phase of construction, which began in June 2010 and was recently completed ahead of schedule, connects President Barack Obama Parkway north of Conroy Road to Metrowest Boulevard.
Central Floridians working for Hubbard Construction built a total of 1.5 miles of landscaped roadway with lighting, sidewalks and on-street bike lanes for commuters and installed a new signalized intersection at LB McLeod Road. The project also included an extension of the Shingle Creek Trail for pedestrians and bicyclists.
When all segments of the President Barack Obama Parkway extension are completed, the new roadway, as well as the existing segments of Pine Hills Road, will be a nine-mile long continuous connection from the Apopka Area to Conroy Road in the Millenia area.
The City said the new roadway provides an alternate north and south route and will relieve some of Orlando’s most congested corridors, including Interstate-4, John YOung Parkway and Kirkman Road.
The extension project is part of METROPLAN Orlando’s 20year-vision Long Range Transportation Plan and is the first road in the nation to be named after the 44th President, Barack Obama.
