DeLand, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) held an Industry Forum for the construction and engineering industries yesterday, March 19, as part of preparations for construction of major projects along the Interstate 75 (I-75) corridor in Sumter and Marion counties, including a project part of the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative.

More than 250 industry representatives attended the forum, which gave industry partners a firsthand look at the projects’ technical details and information on opportunities to be involved in the construction. The Industry Forum included details about the overall scope, the individual projects with their features, and procurement timelines and processes.

The upcoming I-75 projects are being advanced by 10 to 15 years thanks to the bold vision of Governor DeSantis and the support of the Florida Legislature, who prioritized funding for the historic Moving Florida Forward investment.

“As our state’s population continues to grow exponentially and with the I-75 corridor facing congestion on a daily occurrence, the Department is proud to be accelerating timelines for these critical projects,” said FDOT District Five Secretary John Tyler, P.E. “FDOT is excited to bring these projects to life and greatly enhance the mobility and safety throughout this vital transportation corridor in Marion and Sumter counties.”

As part of this work, FDOT will add northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes on I-75 from south of State Road (S.R.) 44 to south of S.R. 326. The existing S.R. 40 and S.R. 326 interchanges will be upgraded, and several bridges along the corridor will be replaced or widened. With this major work planned for I-75 through Moving Florida Forward, the Department will also advance construction of a brand new I-75 interchange at 49th Street in Ocala, which is funded separately. Coupling this work is a strategy to reduce the duration of traffic impacts for the community as improvements are made in the area.

With the growing number of vehicles and freight traffic on I-75, this critical interstate corridor has a great need for additional capacity. These new projects will upgrade operations to improve mobility, increase safety, ensure the resiliency of the transportation system for the future, and enhance the quality of life for the community. These projects will not only provide regional congestion relief but also will modernize outdated infrastructure.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025, and the cost of construction for these projects totals over $400 million.

In addition to the Industry Forum, as part of FDOT’s robust outreach program for projects, the Department will hold additional meetings for the community and other stakeholders later this year as construction approaches. This outreach will include coordinating meetings with community groups, conducting public workshops, and holding one-on-one meetings with local officials.

For more information about the I-75 projects, please see the following webpages on CFL Roads:

I-75 Improvements from S.R. 200 to S.R. 326: https://www.cflroads.com/project/452074-1

I-75 Improvements from south of S.R. 44 to S.R. 200: https://www.cflroads.com/project/452074-2