TIDBITS
BOND SALES FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
Gov . Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet next week will consider bond sales totaling $ 630.2 million that , in part , would help a Miami-Dade County transportation project under a program known as Moving Florida Forward . DeSantis and Cabinet members will consider selling $ 430 million in Department of Transportation Turnpike Revenue Bonds and $ 200 million in Turnpike Revenue Refunding Bonds . Proceeds would go to various turnpike system projects , including improvements to the Golden Glades interchange in Miami- Dade County . The bonds would be repaid through tolls and other turnpike revenues . “ This is leveraging the financing power of the turnpike to continue the Moving Florida Forward program , particularly I believe the Golden Glade interchange , which will basically act as a direct connect for all the commuters in Miami-Dade County on all the roads , right there on the way to Miami Beach ,” Cody Farrill , DeSantis ’ Cabinet affairs director , said Wednesday during a meeting of Cabinet aides . “ I ’ m excited about that one .” Carrying a $ 150 million price tag , the Golden Glades project would link the turnpike with Interstate 95 , the Palmetto Expressway , State Road 9 and State Road 7 . Introduced by DeSantis in January 2023 , Moving Florida Forward is a $ 7 billion , fouryear plan designed to speed up a series of transportation projects across the state . The plan drew $ 4 billion from general-revenue surplus in the current fiscal year and the remaining $ 3 billion was slated to be financed . A proposed budget for the 2024- 2025 fiscal year includes $ 881.45 million for the plan from the State Transportation Trust Fund . The proposed budget , approved March 8 by the Legislature , has not formally been sent to DeSantis .
MARCH 2024 • DITCHMEN 23