- October 13, 2024
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The city of Ormond Beach could soon receive $340 million in state funds for the redesign of the I-95 and U.S. 1 interchange in Ormond Beach as part of a $4 billion infrastructure initiative proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday, Jan. 30.
The Moving Florida Forward initiative is meant to expedite transportation projects over the next four years, and if passed by legislature, would additionally redirect an average of $131 million annually to the state Transportation Work Program as well as leverage more funding over the four years for a total of $7 billion for transportation infrastructure improvements, according to a press release from the governor's office. The initiative would expedite 20 Florida Department of Transportation projects.
“Gov. DeSantis’ Moving Florida Forward proposal is truly historic and the projects included will help relieve congestion while also focusing on safety, resiliency, the supply chain, and economic growth," FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue said in the press release. "These are important for Floridians’ quality of life and to ensure we maintain a strong transportation system to keep Florida moving forward. ... Receiving this funding will allow the vision of each project to become a reality in the immediate future to better meet the growing demands in communities throughout the state."
Florida's population is projected to grow by 600 people every day for the next 30 years, FDOT stated in its own press release, and some areas are seeing over 20% growth rates.
The Ormond Beach I-95 and U.S. 1 interchange project is the only one of the 20 included in the initiative that is located in Volusia County.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Ormond Beach and Volusia County to make a significant impact on our transportation system," Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington said in a press release. "We are grateful for the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis and FDOT and are excited to move forward with this transformative project far ahead of any completion schedule we could have imagined."
Partington, who attended the initiative's announcement in Auburndale, and his fellow City Commissioners — under the guidance of Maryam Ghyabi-White of Ghyabi Consulting and Management — have been working to secure funding for this project, the press release states. FDOT first launched a Project Development and Environment study for the interchange in summer 2021 to evaluate safety improvements. The interchange was constructed in the early 1960s and some of its original elements no longer meet current FDOT standards.
During an open house held last June, FDOT predicted traffic will increase by over 40% by 2050 on I-95 and more than double on U.S. 1 with the build-out of both Plantation Oaks and Ormond Crossing, rendering the improvements necessary.
The city reported in its press release that the interchange and the roadways it serves "are consistently some of the most dangerous in Volusia and Flagler counties," with 70-80 crashes over the past three years.
"This project will have a lasting impact on our residents and visitors, and we are committed to making sure it is executed efficiently and effectively," Partington said. "I can't wait to see the positive changes and safety improvements this project will bring to Ormond Beach and Volusia County."
