Officials to extend S.R. 414
Louis Torres drives back and forth on State Road 414 and Maitland Boulevard nearly every day as part of his commute between his Lake County home and jobs in Orange County for his home repair business.
The worst part of the drive, Torres said, is during rush hour, especially along the stretch of S.R. 414 between U.S. Highway 441 in Apopka and Interstate 4 in Maitland.
“It’s a nightmare. It’s terrible,” he said, waving his hand as he filled his van’s gas tank this week in that area. “Cars are backed up at each of the lights.”
Torres was pleased to hear the Central Florida Expressway Authority is moving forward with plans to extend S.R. 414 — also known as the John Land Apopka Expressway — by adding nearly 2.8 miles of elevated toll lanes between U.S. 441 and State Road 434.
“This is exciting to even think about,” said Commissioner Amy Lockhart this week during a presentation before the Seminole commission. “Because, as someone who has used that corridor more than a few times, that’s always the part of the trip [between U.S. 441 and S.R. 434] that someone goes, ‘ugh.’ So, it will be nice to not have to bemoan that part of the trip.”
Between State Road 429 and U.S. 441, S.R. 414 is a toll road and drivers generally pay about $1.50 to travel the six-mile stretch.
Between U.S. 441 and I-4, S.R. 414 is a free road, also known as Maitland Boulevard, that is maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation. It then continues eastward from I-4 as a free road about 2 miles to U.S. Highway 17-92 in Fern Park.
The four-lane extension will have cars and trucks zooming along 45 feet above Maitland Boulevard, giving drivers a more direct route from S.R. 429 in Apopka to I-4 in Maitland, officials said. Toll rates have yet to be determined.
Transportation officials will unveil details of the $365-million S.R. 414 extension project at a public meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., March 31, at Wekiva High School, 2501 Hiawassee Road, Apopka. Information about the project can be viewed at cfxway. com.
Expressway Authority officials hope the new extension — paid for with toll revenues — would be completed and open to motorists by 2027.
“That’s the goal,” said Brian Hutchings, an authority spokesman. “We understand that
old, Olivia Lash. The family worked in a trip to the brewery.
“This was actually one of the first dates my husband took me on,” said Stephanie Cassidy, of Orlando. “It was the first place we took the dog to when we got the dog. The first place we took the baby out to.”
The number of breweries in Florida has skyrocketed, especially over the past decade. Florida went from 45 in 2011 to 368 in 2020, according to the Brewers Association, which described Orlando Brewing as a pioneer of the industry.
“He’s been open for one of the most dynamic, if not the most dynamic periods, for small breweries in our country’s history,” said Bart Watson, chief economist for the association, which promotes U.S. craft breweries. “Somebody starting in 2002 was really still helping to create the market.”
Building that market included a time when a dart league didn’t want to play at Cheek’s brewery.
“When we opened this place in 2006, nobody wanted to come play here because we didn’t have Guinness, and we didn’t have Corona and we didn’t have Bud Light,” Cheek said.
Today, that’s not an issue, with its popular options that include Blonde Ale and I-4 IPA.
Now there are dozens of breweries serving customers thirsty for craft beer made in the Orlando area.
“There’s a brewery everywhere now, and everybody’s got an opinion on who’s the best,” Cheek said. “Everybody has their own way of doing things, and it’s pretty good. If you go to Ellipsis [Brewing] down by the airport, they do hazy IPAs. I don’t do hazy IPAs.”
Cheek said he will need to move in June ahead of the July 5 closing date on the property.
Orlando Health is purchasing the property as it “continues to plan and prepare for the region’s future health care needs,” said Kena Lewis, senior director of public affairs and media relations. Lewis didn’t disclose the purchase price or what specifically it will become.
Cheek was told in 2018 that Orlando Health would be buying the property in four years and his lease would not be renewed after that, Lewis wrote in an email. The property is owned by Matterhorn II LLC, Orange County records show.
Cheek points to the coronavirus pandemic as the reason he needs to raise money for the move.
“All the money that we had set aside, COVID ate,” Cheek said.
Cheek sells beer in the building, but his wholesale business revolves around kegs sold through a distributor to be served at other establishments.
Florida requires craft breweries to sell their beer through a distributor, not directly to restaurants and bars. Selling directly to other venues is legal in 39 other states, Watson said.
Breweries that relied on distributing their beer to bars and restaurants were hit the hardest during the pandemic and nationally draft beer has not recovered to 2019 levels, Watson said.
“2020 was the first year where small brewery production collectively dropped, and it dropped pretty sharply,” Watson said.