Transportation bill provides generously for Florida highways

July 29, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- A massive $286.4 billion five-year transportation spending bill approved by the Senate Friday includes numerous projects important to easing traffic congestion in Florida, according to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

Among them are federal funds for widening Interstate 75 from Fort Myers to Naples, constructing the Interstate 4 crosstown connector in the Tampa Bay area, improving I-4 alternate routes in Orlando and widening of the bypass around Tallahassee.

All told, the transportation bill, which was two years in the works, contains about $8.6 billion for Florida-specific road projects over the next five years.  Nelson, along with Sen. Mel Martinez, helped get much of that funding.  Nelson also credited Senator Max Baucus, the ranking Democrat on a key Senate transportation subcommittee, with supporting many of the Florida lawmakers' requests.

Because the transportation bill also has passed the House, it now goes to the president who's expected to sign it into law.  A listing of Florida projects can be found at http://www.house.gov/rules.  Click on Text of Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 3 - Transportation Equity Act.  Then, click on each of the four Title 1 - Table Inserts to find "FL" projects.

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