DeSantis signs legislation accelerating infrastructure projects, widening I-4
POLK CITY, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday accelerating various state infrastructure projects, including reconstruction efforts of Interstate 4.
The bill, HB 1301, sponsored by Reps. Shane Abbott, R-Defuniak Springs, and Kimberly Berfield, R-Clearwater, revises the Department of Transportation’s role and responsibilities in order to advance several infrastructure projects and move them ahead of schedule.
The governor explained that the Moving Florida Forward initiative is a program providing billions of dollars in budget surplus to, in part, improve traffic congestion throughout Florida.
“These are projects that are being accelerated to times much faster than what they would otherwise do,” he said. “And what does that acceleration mean? It means some of these projects are going to be started and/or completed 10 to 20 years ahead of schedule in some instances.”
“We want to make sure that the congestion is relieved and we are starting that now,” DeSantis added. “I can announce that 14.7 miles of I-4 widening from U.S. 27 in Polk County through Champions Gate to the Osceola Parkway and Osceola County will begin construction this year.”
The governor bashed President Joe Biden’s administration and the purported challenges that they place on commuters and road-users by enforcing green energy standards and pushing certain political agendas.
“They really view the transportation department and these projects as a tool for them to advance ideology,” he said.
“They’ve talked about roads being racist. I don’t know how they get that, but they say that. […] And of course they do have an agenda to not have people in their cars,” he added.
DeSantis warned that certain local governments in the state may also support the same agenda pushed by the federal government.
Florida’s secretary of transportation, Jared Perdue, thanked DeSantis for his work and the legislature for their ability to pass legislation benefiting residents throughout the state.
“This is how government is supposed to work,” Perdue said. “Everyone working towards a common goal, putting people first.”
“Transportation has a huge impact on quality of life for all of our communities, and because of the governor’s leadership and the action by the Florida Legislature, we can officially say today that we are investing nearly $2.5 billion directly into the I-4 corridor,” he said.
