The Florida Department of Transportation is moving forward on the second phase of its road construction ramp-up to take advantage of lower traffic numbers and to help the state’s economy during the pandemic.
The agency says it has accelerated schedules for more than 40 projects statewide, with some expected to be completed as much as two months early.
“The transportation industry is vital to our economy and is essential as we move forward to reopen Florida,” says FDOT Secretary Kevin Thibault. “We will continue to accelerate projects as much as possible, while also incorporating the CDC’s safety and sanitation guidelines.”
The announcement comes a month after the FDOT ramped up schedules on $2.1 billion in road construction projects. Both announcements refer to “critical infrastructure projects” and were prompted by directives from Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has called for the acceleration of road construction due to less traffic because of the pandemic.
The FDOT says the latest round of projects will shave 650 total contract days.