OCALA, FL — Governor Ron DeSantis announces the groundbreaking of over 31 miles of new auxiliary lanes to be added to I-75, from State Road 44 in Wildwood to State Road 326 in Ocala, Florida. This latest Moving Florida Forward project has been fully funded and is beginning 10 to 15 years ahead of schedule. “Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative, congestion relief along I-75 will be delivered 10 to 15 years ahead of schedule," said Jared W. Perdue, PE, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary. "With nearly 114,000 vehicles driving the corridor daily, these improvements will make traveling easier and bring a $2.3 billion economic impact to the region.” In 2023, DeSantis announced the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative. As part of the initiative, FDOT identified a selection of critical needs on state-owned roadways. Additionally, FDOT identified previously approved projects with broad community support that lacked funding to begin construction. $4 billion from the General Revenue Surplus was able to be committed to the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative to fund and expedite construction on these projects to relieve congestion, improve safety, and enhance Florida’s supply chain. At least 20 major interstate and roadway projects across the state have been expedited through this initiative, including:

• The expansion of lanes and the addition of express lanes along I-4 in Polk and Osceola counties
• The addition of regular and express lanes on I-275 in Pinellas County
• A redesign of the Golden Glades interchange on I-95 in Miami-Dade County
• The reconstruction of the Fruitville Interchange on I-75 in Sarasota County to a “Diverging Diamond” design
• The widening of U.S. 98 in Bay County
• The realignment of U.S. 301 from C.R. 470 to Florida’s Turnpike in Sumter County