Governor Ron DeSantis is combating congestion with the new legislative proposal, Moving Florida Forward, which aims to allocate $7 billion over the next four years to 20 road projects in the Sunshine State.
Governor DeSantis made the announcement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) secretary Jared Perdue during a visit to the SunTrax Test Facility Toll Operations.
The funds will prioritize 20 "critical infrastructure projects" in the existing FDOT five-year work program. The money will be comprised of $4 billion of general revenue surplus and $3 billion that FDOT will use to "leverage innovative financing tools, contracting, and proposed policies."
Governor DeSantis said in light of a record-setting $22 billion surplus in the Florida budget, he is focusing on initiatives to give back to taxpayers.
One avenue that follows that initiative is proposing legislation to expedite 20 major road projects across the state. This includes projects in the Tampa Bay area, focused mainly on Interstate 275, I-75 and I-4.
In the Tampa Bay Area, $354 million will go to improvements on I-275 from 38th Avenue to 4th Street, $53 million for improvements to S.R. 70 from Bourdside Boulevard to Waterbury Road, $192 million to I-75 a Fruitville Road Interchange, and $197 million to I-4 at S.R. 33 Interchange.
According to the Florida governor, these projects are already in the pipeline. The funding will help accelerate these projects completion years ahead of schedule.
"We're putting in — just in this year alone — we're going to be putting in $4 billion from our budget surplus to be in these key projects. We're also going to be putting in $134 million each year to the state transportation work program for further support," said DeSantis.
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Source: WTSP.com
