Summerlin Avenue Phase I: Marks & Colonial detours for Orlando drivers
Orlando drivers near Summerlin Avenue should plan ahead. The City of Orlando says the Summerlin Avenue & Marks Street intersection will be fully closed beginning early June 2026 for about three to four months, with an anticipated reopening in Third Quarter 2026. The City also schedules overnight work at Summerlin & Colonial Drive beginning April 26, 2026, with lane closures and traffic shifts between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Because this is a utility-driven roadway project, impacts—including changing traffic patterns and occasional access limitations—can extend beyond just the immediate work zone as crews move north.
Where Phase I is, and why it affects commutes
The City describes Phase I as a City + Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) partnership upgrading utilities along about 1.26 miles of Summerlin Avenue—from Marks Street to South Street. The project includes water and gravity sewer improvements (including replacing water main infrastructure dating to 1938), plus roadway restoration and pedestrian-safety upgrades such as new pedestrian signals and crosswalk/curb ramp replacements for ADA compliance.
Summerlin & Marks Street: full intersection closure and detours
What to expect: The City says the Summerlin Avenue and Marks Street intersection is expected to be closed beginning early June 2026 for approximately three to four months, with an anticipated reopening in Third Quarter 2026.
Detours listed by the City:
- Northbound on Summerlin Avenue: may detour east or west using Park Lake Street.
- Drivers traveling east on Marks Street: Turn right on Park Lake Street, turn left on Laurel Avenue, then turn right onto Marks Street.
- Drivers traveling west on Marks Street: Turn left on Park Lake Street, turn right on Eola Avenue, then turn left onto Marks Street.
- Eastbound on Marks Street (alternate City routing): Turn right on Eola Avenue, turn left on Park Lake Street, turn left on Laurel Avenue, then turn right to return to Marks Street.
- Westbound on Marks Street (alternate City routing): Turn left on Laurel Avenue, turn right on Park Lake Street, turn right on Eola Avenue, then turn left to return to Marks Street.
If that intersection is part of your daily errands, commuting, or deliveries, plan extra time and build your route around the posted detours before the closure starts.
Overnight traffic shifts at Summerlin & Colonial Drive
The City says construction activity at Summerlin Avenue & Colonial Drive is scheduled to begin April 26, 2026, with an anticipated duration of 10 to 12 weeks.
During this nighttime period, the City expects temporary lane closures and traffic shifts as crews progress north along Summerlin Avenue, crossing Colonial Drive, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. The project page also notes typical work hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (with night/weekend work only if conditions require it).
Why disruption may feel bigger than the exact work intersection
Even when crews are working at a specific corner, the City also approved staging/laydown logistics tied to Phase I. In a Jan. 27, 2025 agenda coversheet, the City described a Construction Staging License Agreement for the Summerlin Avenue Improvement Project – Phase I, allowing Gibbs & Register, Inc. to use City-owned vacant property at 536 W South St and 412 Chapman Ct for construction staging/laydown.
According to the coversheet, the license’s initial term is 12 months, with renewals that can extend the total term up to 36 months, and the contractor is expected to handle maintenance and restore the site at the end of use. In practical terms, that can mean equipment/material handling and day-to-day access changes beyond the immediate lane work.
What else is happening nearby as crews move north
The project page also notes that Phase I work progresses along Summerlin Avenue with different shutdowns at different legs. For example, the City says work at Summerlin Avenue & Harwood Street is set to begin early May 2026, with the intersection closed for approximately three to four months—so residents should expect the disruption to shift north over time.
What to do next
- Re-check the City’s project page before trips because the City uses scheduled/anticipated language.
- Use the direction-by-direction detours for the Marks Street closure instead of assuming one single route fits all drivers.
- Plan for possible access interruptions: the City says there might be periods when some residents can’t use driveways during construction, and that the contractor will provide advance notice and recommend alternative parking spots.
- Allow extra time during the overnight window near Colonial Drive once nightly work begins.
Sources
- City of Orlando — Summerlin Avenue Improvement Project – Phase I (project page with closure windows and detours)
- OUC — Infrastructure Projects (shows Summerlin Avenue Improvement Project – Phase I as a partnership project with the City of Orlando)
- City of Orlando Agenda Cover Sheet (Jan. 27, 2025 meeting) — Construction Staging License Agreement for Summerlin Avenue Improvement Project – Phase I (Gibbs & Register, Inc.)
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