Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later appeared at Florida Poly for a news conference, during which he assured local drivers that his administration is aware of the chronic congestion and is taking dramatic action to address it.
“Waiting in traffic isn’t good for people, particularly people that have families,” DeSantis said. “They want to get back (home) and do that. It takes away time, and it’s harder to get to the office. You don’t know how much you’re going to be there. … It’s not good for commerce to have these backstops.
“So this is a big investment — the total cost of all this is in the billions of dollars when you look at what we’re doing statewide to accelerate, but we’re going to reap financial benefits on the back end of this.”
Standing at a lectern decorated with a purple sign reading, “Fully funded and ahead of schedule,” DeSantis offered further details on Moving Florida Forward, an initiative he first announced in Polk County in February 2023. The statewide program includes a project that will add lanes on I-4 between Lakeland and Orlando.
In all, DeSantis said, Florida has devoted about $2.5 billion to transportation projects around the state. He said that Moving Florida Forward is accelerating planned highway projects, in some cases by 10 or even 20 years.
As always with DeSantis’ news conferences, the gathering at times had the feel of a campaign rally. The audience of nearly 100 included invited local Republicans and elected officials, who filled rows of seats in front of media members. The audience applauded often throughout DeSantis’ remarks.
Elected officials in the audience included Florida Sen. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland; Florida Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade; Florida Rep. Carolina Amesty, R-Windermere; Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz and City Commissioners Stephanie Madden, Mike Musick, and Guy LaLonde; Polk County Commissioners Bill Braswell and Neil Combee; Auburndale Mayor Dorothea Taylor Bogert; Bartow Vice Mayor Trish Pfeiffer.
A group of Florida DOT employees also stood by, wearing orange reflective vests and hard hats.
But still, there is NO MONEY to fix the Dixieland Road Diet.