“We are making critical infrastructure investments in our highways, bridges, seaports, airports, transit and trails,” Scott says. “Having a strong infrastructure system is vital to our continued economic growth and making Florida first for job growth. We consistently have a top-rated infrastructure system and we will continue to make strategic investments to make Florida first for transportation.”
Major road and bridge projects specified in the budget include:
- $496.5 million to replace the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Escambia County connecting downtown Pensacola with the City of Gulf Breeze across the bay. This project will also expand the structure and the approaches to six-lanes, easing traffic and congestion for commuters and tourists.
- $247 million to improve and expand the I-395 corridor in Miami-Dade County (from the I-95/Midtown Interchange (I-95/State Road 836/I-395) to the MacArthur Causeway Bridge in the City of Miami Beach. The proposed improvements will improve flow of traffic along the mainline as well as the connections to I-95 and SR 836, both northbound and southbound. The corridor is noteworthy for its raised structures and signature bridge over Biscayne Blvd and subsurface streetscapes serving bicyclists, pedestrians and community activities. Local neighborhoods will also benefit from improvements to various intersections along North Miami Avenue (NE 2 Avenue, NE 1 Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard).
- $246 million to extend the Wekiva Parkway five miles from Lake County into Seminole County. The project includes a new bridge across the Wekiva River which has been engineered to high environmental and aesthetic specifications in order to preserve the natural state of the environmentally sensitive area. The bridge will also include a separated and safe area for bicyclists and pedestrians providing links to trail systems in the area. Wekiva Parkway in east Lake County will also feature parallel, non-tolled, service roads for local trips.
- $64 million to build the Baldwin Bypass around SR 200 (US 301) from South of Baldwin to North of Baldwin in Duval County. This project will provide relief to drivers currently impacted by rail traffic in Baldwin. It will relieve congestion and speed the movement of people and freight on this facility, which is part of the state’s Strategic Intermodal System (SIS).
- $50.6 million to replace the SR 19 bridge over Little Lake Harris in Lake County. The new two-lane bridge will increase mobility and safety of travelers as it includes shoulders, sidewalk and roadway approaches on both ends of the bridge.
- $47.4 million to improve the roadway and add lanes on SR 390 in Bay County (from 23rd Street to Jenks Avenue). This project will relieve congestion and promote opportunities for growth along the corridor by converting the roadway to a sixlane divided facility with buffered bike lanes and sidewalks. An improved Strategic Intermodal System corridor will also better serve as a Hurricane Evacuation Route for surrounding communities.
- $43.8 million to add additional lanes and reconstruct the existing SR 200 (A1A) from I- 95 to west of Still Quarters Road in Nassau County. This project will relieve congestion and improve movement of people and goods to the Port of Fernandina.
More information on the “Florida First” budget for 2016-17 is available at www.FloridaFirstBudget.com.
