Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a $500 million expansion plan to address congestion on Interstate 4 in Hillsborough County will begin a decade ahead of schedule.
The project is for new express lanes in both directions from Interstate 75 to County Line Road.
It was originally scheduled to begin in 2037 but will now begin in 2028.
DeSantis explained the plan to separate long-distance traffic from that of local commuters to improve traffic flow.
“That is going to make a big difference for folks who are traveling in that Hillsborough County section of Interstate 4,” DeSantis said. “The lanes will make a difference; it will increase reliable traffic flow and give people a better option to get from the Tampa area into Central Florida or vice versa.”
DeSantis also announced a new 100-space truck parking facility in Polk County to further relieve traffic along the interstate.
“Obviously, we have a lot of freight in Florida moved via trucks,” he said. “This is going to be 100 additional parking spots for transporters along the I-4 corridor.”
The projects are part of DeSantis’ Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative.
Since 2023, over $4 billion from the general revenue surplus have been dedicated to the initiative, with more than 20 projects proposed statewide.
DeSantis credited the initiative with accelerating the completion of many of those projects.
“Some of the stuff inside ChampionsGate and some of the stuff inside Polk County, that's going to be done, five, 10, even 15 years ahead of schedule,” he said.
The new express lanes will likely be toll lanes, similar to the existing I-4 express lanes in Orlando and upcoming Interstate 275 express lanes on the Howard Frankland Bridge between Tampa and St. Petersburg.
