Calling it the last major hurdle, state and local transportation officials signed off on a memorandum of understanding that will allow construction to begin on the Wekiva Parkway near Orlando.
The 25-mile toll road will help complete the beltway around metropolitan Orlando.
The agreement, penned Tuesday, allows the state Department of Transportation and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority to proceed to planning and construction of the roadway.
The agreement follows years of negotiations and debate over the project.
“This is an important step in our ability to move forward to build the Wekiva Parkway,” said DOT Secretary Ananth Prasad. “The Department will continue to work diligently with the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, and all involved, to bring this significant transportation project to fruition.”
The agencies can now proceed with design, which is expected to take about 18-24 months, followed by right-of-way acquisition and permitting.
The parkway will be built in sections, with full construction of the beltway’s missing link expected to take at least seven years.
