ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Major Advancements for Congestion Relief in Central Florida

Projects include a new express lane on I-4 in Hillsborough County, critical truck parking facility, and the nation’s first Advanced Air Mobility aerial test bed

BARTOW, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced major steps for congestion relief in Central Florida. These include 17 miles of new express lanes on Interstate 4 (I-4) in Hillsborough County and a new truck parking facility along the I-4 corridor in Polk County. The state is also breaking ground on the nation’s first infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), an entirely new mode of transportation.

“Florida’s conservative policies and sound fiscal management have produced one of the strongest economies in the nation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Through our Moving Florida Forward initiative, we are making record infrastructure investments and completing projects ahead of schedule to meet the needs of our growing state.”

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership, we’ve successfully brought revolutionary congestion relief projects to life for Florida’s residents and visitors,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “Our work to accelerate congestion relief, especially along the I-4 corridor, is a commitment we will continue to deliver on.”

Projects included in today’s announcement build upon Governor DeSantis’ commitment to reducing congestion along Florida’s busiest travel and freight corridors through the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative, which has expedited major projects 10-15 years in advance.

As Governor DeSantis continues to take bold action to ensure families spend less time in traffic, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will be constructing 17 miles of a new single express lane facility on I-4 in Hillsborough County in both directions from Interstate 75 (I-75) to County Line Road. These express lanes will bring significant congestion relief to the traveling public by separating long-distance traffic from local commuter traffic, providing additional reliable travel options and enhancing the quality of life for residents traveling in the area. This project has officially been programmed within FDOT’s project pipeline and will be advanced by ten years, with construction expected to begin in 2028.

To further support Florida’s freight traffic along the I-4 corridor, which has one of the largest truck parking deficits throughout the state, FDOT will also be constructing a new 100-space truck parking facility in Polk County at the Polk Parkway and I-4 interchange. This advancement reflects the state’s commitment to fiscal prudence by maximizing available resources, as the new truck parking facility will utilize existing right-of-way within the interchange. With 75 percent of Florida’s total freight moved by trucks, Governor DeSantis has remained committed to expanding critical truck parking facilities throughout the state to support this vital industry.

Additionally, Governor DeSantis announced today that the construction of the first of two AAM vertiports is officially underway at the FDOT’s SunTrax testing facility, which will be expanded to a statewide network of interconnected commercial vertiports. This facility will establish the nation’s first-ever AAM aerial test bed and dedicated airspace, driving innovative research and development for this emerging technology. Additional announcements related to Florida's role in AAM will be released by FDOT in the coming months.