September 5, 2025
State Road 516 Project to Connect Lake and Orange Counties, Test EV Charging Technology
By Kyle Coppola
State Road 516 Project to Connect Lake and Orange Counties, Test EV Charging Technology
The Central Florida Expressway Authority has begun work on State Road 516, the Lake/Orange Expressway, a 4.4-mile project designed to boost regional connectivity and serve as a national model for sustainable transportation.
The expressway, which will stretch from U.S. Highway 27 to State Road 429, is being built in three segments across Lake and Orange counties. It will not only provide much-needed connections between fast-growing communities but also serve as a testbed for electric in-vehicle charging technology. Officials say SR 516 will be the most sustainable project CFX has ever delivered.
With construction phased between 2024 and 2029, SR 516 is intended to improve mobility, support economic development, and provide enhanced emergency access during events such as hurricanes. The roadway will also feature wildlife protection measures and a multi-use trail.
Project goals include improving connectivity between Lake and Orange counties, meeting anticipated demand from planned growth, supporting job creation through the Wellness Way Area Plan, increasing intermodal opportunities with Horizon West Town Center, and balancing transportation needs with conservation and energy efficiency.
Segment 1: U.S. 27 to Cook Road
The 1.6-mile segment will include a new interchange at U.S. 27, with a realignment of the highway to avoid impacts to Lake Louisa State Park. This portion will also host the Advancing Sustainability Through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE) Pilot Project. The pilot will test wireless charging technology built into a three-quarter-mile section of the expressway, allowing specially equipped vehicles to charge at highway speeds. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 and finish in 2029.
Segment 2: Cook Road to the Orange/Lake County Line
The 1.9-mile section will include an interchange with a future extension of County Road 455, currently being planned by Lake County. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and conclude in 2029.
Segment 3: Orange/Lake County Line to SR 429
The 0.9-mile portion includes interchange ramps with Valencia Parkway, a systems interchange with SR 429, toll gantries, and a new section of Valencia Parkway connecting to Schofield Road. The existing interchange at SR 429 and Schofield Road will remain. Work on this segment began in May 2024 and is expected to wrap up in early 2027.
During construction, drivers can expect intermittent lane and ramp closures, nighttime work, and noise from construction activities.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
