Today Governor DeSantis announced the Moving Florida Forward initiative to expedite transportation projects over the next four years. If approved by the legislature, this proposition would invest $4 billion in general revenue, redirect an average of $131 million annually to the State Transportation Work Program, and leverage additional funding over the next four years totaling $7 billion to strengthen the Florida transportation infrastructure. to accommodate the growing number of people who depend on Florida's highways. Through this record investment, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) would accelerate 20 priority infrastructure projects in the existing Work Program to Combat Congestion,
“This proposal will break the red tape that often slows down infrastructure projects and allow FDOT to focus on projects that will alleviate congestion across the state,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Accelerating these projects will bring them to completion more than a decade ahead of schedule. ”
“Governor DeSantis' Moving Florida Forward proposal is truly historic and the included projects will help alleviate congestion while focusing on safety, resiliency, supply chain and economic growth. These are important to the quality of life for Floridians and to ensure that we maintain a strong transportation system to keep Florida moving forward,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, PE. “The Department has worked closely with the communities and our partners over the years to plan and prepare these projects for construction. Receiving this funding will allow each project's vision to become a reality for the foreseeable future to better meet the growing demands in communities across the state.
Florida is home to more than 22 million residents, and in the first three quarters of 2022 alone, we had nearly 105 million visitors to our state. In 2022, Florida experienced the largest net migration in the country at 1.9%, which means Florida's infrastructure must accommodate more people than ever before. The 20 projects included in the proposal will build more resilient transportation infrastructure, which is important for the integrity of highways and corridors, especially during severe weather events such as hurricanes.
FDOT will continue to work on projects currently planned in the existing FDOT Five-Year Work Program, in addition to projects included in the Moving Florida Forward package.