Things To Do In SW Florida

TALLAHASSEE — As Florida lawmakers put the finishing touches on this year’s legislative session, they approved a request from Gov. Ron DeSantis to help speed up 20 highway projects, some in Central Florida.

“I requested $4 billion for Moving Florida Forward so we can get ahead of some of these traffic problems,” DeSantis said Friday. “Some of these items may take 20 years. I want to accelerate that to get it done much sooner. And the Legislature responded.”

When pitching the plan in January, DeSantis put forward as examples: $1.451 billion to reconstruct Interstate 4 from ChampionsGate to the Osceola Parkway in Central Florida; $479 million to add auxiliary lanes to Interstate 75 between Wildwood and Ocala; $340 million to improve the Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 interchange in Ormond Beach; $162 million to widen Interstate 10 near Pensacola; and $150 million to upgrade the Interstate 95 interchange at Golden Glades in South Florida.

The four-year plan — requiring a pair of $2 billion transfers from general revenue to the State Transportation Trust Fund — also seeks to borrow an additional $3 billion for the work. read more

Florida gas prices declined for a second consecutive week.

After dropping 9 cents per gallon on Sunday, the state average for gas is $3.56.

It’s 16 cents lower than the record high of $3.72 on Apr. 21.

Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group, said prices could be lower this week.

“Pump prices are still coming back from the spike caused by the flooding in South Florida,” Jenkins said, “Additionally, the oil market suffered its third consecutive week of declines, which should apply more downward pressure on prices at the pump.”

Markets with the most expensive gas are in Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.79), Naples ($3.70) and Sebring ($3.64).

Markets with the least expensive are in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.21), Pensacola ($3.22) and Panama City ($3.24).