Interstate 4

From Omnictionary

Interstate 4 (abbreviated I-4) is a 132.30-mile (212.91 km) Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, making it--as interstates go--rather oxymoronic.

I-4 is currently the lowest-numbered Interstate Highway in the contiguous 48 U.S. states.

The combination of Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona Beach is often referred to as the I-4 Corridor, since the freeway connects all four (Three cities, reference to four, needs fixing).

Route description

I-4 maintains a diagonal, northeast-southwest route for much of its entire length. Throughout most of Orlando, however, I-4 travels in a roughly north-south direction. However, the interstate remains labeled as "East" and "West" leading both to confusion and a general lack of regard for compasses.

Role in traffic

In the early/mid 1990s, several interchanges near Kissimmee were constructed/upgraded to accommodate increasing traffic going to and from Walt Disney World. However, I-4's main lanes were not widened in the process, creating ongoing traffic congestion.

In Tampa, I-4 has been under construction for at least a year, making that part of the interstate a hazardous roadway on which to travel.

Role in drug trafficking

Because it is almost impossible to get anything or anyone into, or out of, Orlando, I-4 is heavily patrolled by state troopers and local law enforcement operations. In 2006, more illegal drugs were found in vehicles traveling on I-4 than on any stretch of highway in the United States. As the number of apparent 17- and 18-year-old runaways in Orlando has increased, some concerned parents have proposed a camera system that would take a snapshot of each vehicle's license plate on I-4 to help track the disappeared. Orlando's city council, however, considers the idea too expensive to be feasible.