Work begins on new Interstate 75 interchange in Sarasota County

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the start of construction on a new interchange at the intersection of Interstate 75 and Fruitville Road in Sarasota County and touted a statewide Moving Florida Forward program that will support 20 new transportation projects.

DeSantis made his announcement during a media appearance Friday in Manatee County. The governor also used the opportunity to criticize presidential candidate Kamala Harris for her economic policies and said Florida has created programs to help counter feared negative effects on the economy.

The governor emphasizes that the initiative is part of the Moving Florida Forward program, which also aims to create jobs while ensuring long-term transportation needs, such as the Fruitville Road interchange, are met.

Last time: Gov. Ron DeSantis Visits Sarasota, Calls Vice President Harris ‘Vacant’ and Defends Election Night

“This is one of our 20 major infrastructure projects under Moving Florida Forward,” DeSantis said. “It wasn’t even planned to start until 2030. Moving Florida Forward will get it done in 2027.”

“Ultimately, it will be $7 billion to accelerate projects, move projects forward and then complete them,” he said. “Many of these projects will be completed this decade that would not even start until next decade. Some projects will be completed 15 years ahead of schedule.”

DeSantis Announces New I-75 Diverging Interchange in Sarasota County at Fruitville Road

DeSantis announced construction of a new Sarasota interchange at the intersection of I-75 and Fruitville Road several years ahead of schedule.

“This project will transform the existing traditional cloverleaf configuration into a diverging diamond interchange,” DeSantis said. This reconstruction will significantly reduce congestion. Once these improvements are complete, daily capacity is expected to increase by more than 40,000 motorists.”

DeSantis said an additional $100 million in state funding will help the state secure needed materials for infrastructure improvements and storage.

“The Legislature has earmarked $100 million for a five-year investment in projects to improve aggregate transportation and storage capacity through what we call supply chain grants,” DeSantis said. “Today I’m proud to announce $18 million in supply chain grants.”

Examples include financing for aggregate terminals in Lake City and Plant City, financing for Tallahassee-based Capital Asphalt for an additional 80,000 tons of aggregate and $6.2 million for a new aggregate terminal at the Port of Tampa Bay, he added.

DeSantis attacks Harris during Manatee County stop

DeSantis used the opportunity to criticize Vice President Harris’ campaign proposals, praising policies like untaxed baby products and toll relief programs as ways Florida has lowered the daily costs of living for residents, and an attractive business environment as factors in the state’s economy.

“The reason that grocery prices have gone up is because of the supply chain disruption caused by the COVID nonsense, the enormous amount of printing and borrowing of money, all of these things that have happened that are absolutely passing on to the consumer in the form of higher prices,” DeSantis said. “It’s basically a big tax on people that’s just invisible.”

He criticized economic proposals that included taxing unrealized profits and that Harris supported during the election campaign.

“Who knows what’s on the horizon, if someone like Harris tries to tax unrealized gains, this country will go into a depression, I can tell you that,” DeSantis said. “We would see a massive flight of capital from the United States, and I think that would hurt our state in particular. It’s crazy to say you’re going to tax someone’s investment before they’ve even realized a profit on it.”