ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis Makes First Award of $100 Million in Grants to Increase Supply Chain Capacity; Breaks Ground on Fruitville Interchange Project

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ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis Makes First Award of $100 Million in Grants to Increase Supply Chain Capacity; Breaks Ground on Fruitville Interchange Project

BRADENTON, Fla.- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the award of $18 million in funding to invest in Florida's supply chain and boost aggregate storage for critical infrastructure and asphalt and concrete production. These awards specifically are the first of $100 million to be invested over five years. The first five recipients of these grants will create an additional 1.2 million tons of aggregate materials storage and enable more rail access to existing aggregate storage facilities. This material will support major projects under the Moving Florida Forward Initiative.

Additionally, Governor DeSantis announced the groundbreaking of the I-75 interchange at Fruitville Road. This project will transform the existing traditional cloverleaf configuration into a diverging diamond design, enhancing safety, Logistics, and mobility in the area.

"A strong supply chain is key to Florida's economic strength. We can't rely on Washington-we need Florida-based solutions," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "These grants will help our state boost capacity and ensure vital materials reach projects on time."

The grant award recipients include:

• $3.7 million to Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad to design and construct a new aggregate terminal in Lake City to accommodate 200,000 additional tons of aggregate annually and 48 rail cars.
• $1.5 million to Capital Asphalt to design and construct a new aggregate terminal in Tallahassee to accommodate 80,000 additional tons of aggregate annually.
• $3.9 million to CSX to design and construct a new aggregate terminal in Plant City to accommodate 20 acres of storage capacity and 250,000 additional tons of aggregate annually.
• $6.2 million to Port of Tampa Bay to construct the Berth 218 aggregate terminal and additional 500,000 tons of limerock annually.
• $2.6 million to JAXPORT to begin the project development and environment phase to increase rail capacity and accommodate 15 acres of yard storage and an additional 240,000 tons of aggregate annually.

"Many Floridians don't spend a lot of time thinking about construction materials until a disruption in our ability to supply those materials impacts their community," said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. "With the support and action of Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, the transportation construction industry will be able to access these much-needed materials for our infrastructure projects that will help keep construction moving and on time."

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) identified priority investments to strengthen links in the supply chain and increase storage capacity to allow more aggregate material to be readily available for these critical FDOT projects. Projects were prioritized based on overall project cost, proximity to aggregate needs statewide, and speed to project completion, ensuring the state can begin relying on these investments as soon as possible.

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^{The Florida Department of Transportation's mission is to provide a safe statewide transportation system that promotes the efficient movement of people and goods, supports the state's economic competitiveness, prioritizes Florida's environment and natural resources, and preserves the quality of life and connectedness of the state's communities.}