Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area

Encyclopedia : O : OR : ORL : Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area

The Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), also known as the Orlando Area, Metro Orlando or (more colloquially) Greater Orlando, is the state of Florida's third most populated metropolitan region, and the 28th-largest metro area in the United States. The MSA consists of Lake, Osceola, Orange and Seminole Counties. The Orlando Area has a population of 1,861,707 according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 population estimates. The size of the city of Orlando is very unusual for a metropolitan area of its size since most of the inhibitants of the area live in the suburbs and surrounding areas in Orange and Seminole counties, whereas the total population of the city proper is only 205,648 people (2004 estimate).

Greater Orlando, along with the Tampa Bay Area and Daytona Beach, makes up the I-4 Corridor.

Contents

1 Cities

1.1 Primary Cities
1.2 Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants
1.3 Suburbs with less than 10,000 inhabitants

2 Commerce
3 Transportation

3.1 Roads
3.2 Airlines

4 External links

Cities

Primary Cities

Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants

Suburbs with less than 10,000 inhabitants

Commerce

Transportation

Roads

Major highways crossing the Orlando area include:

Florida's Turnpike, which heads southeast to the Treasure Coast and South Florida, as well as northwest to connect to Interstate 75 south of Ocala
Interstate 4, which meets Florida's Turnpike near the Walt Disney World Resort, heads north through the Orlando area to Daytona Beach and southwest to Lakeland and Tampa
The Beachline (Formerly Bee Line Expressway; SR 528), which meets I-4 near SeaWorld and connects to the Orlando International Airport, Space Coast, Cape Canaveral, and the John F. Kennedy Space Center
The Central Florida Greeneway (SR 417), which passes around the edge of the eastern half of the area as a beltway, and connects to both Orlando International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport
The East-West Expressway (SR 408), which crosses the area from west (where it connects to Florida's Turnpike) to east (where it connects to Colonial Drive, south of UCF), passing through downtown Orlando, where it connects to Interstate 4
The Western Expressway (SR 429), which is under construction, and will eventually serve as a beltway in the western half of the area, connecting to Interstate 4 on both ends from Sanford in the north, through Apopka and Ocoee, and around the west side of Walt Disney World to connect southwest of Kissimmee
Orange Blossom Trail (US 17-92-441) also pass through the area, along with US 192 and Colonial Drive (SR 50)

The Beachline, Central Florida Greeneway, East-West Expressway and Western Expressway are all run by the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority. Bus transportation in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties is provided by Lynx.

Because of the massive urban sprawl in the area and outdated and unplanned transit infastructure, traffic congestion is a growing concern. Fundamentally, the lack of east-west mobility in the area creates severe traffic issues every weekday.

Airlines

In addition to municipal airports, the primary major airports of the area are Orlando International Airport, at SR 528 Exit 11, and Orlando Sanford International Airport, at SR 417 Exit 49. Orlando Executive Airport, off of SR 50 just east of Downtown Orlando, serves charter airlines and general aviation. Orlando International (MCO) serves as a mini-hub to Delta Air Lines and Chautauqua Airlines part of the Delta Connection, and is a focus city of US Airways, AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines. Orlando Sanford International is usually served by charter flights from Europe, though it is also a hub for national small-city carrier Allegiant Air.

External links

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