ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida is moving ahead with a more than $20 billion effort to widen the entire 320-mile Florida’s Turnpike mainline, a project state officials say is now about 55% complete.
Gov. Ron DeSantis highlighted the Turnpike expansion Sept. 29 in Orlando, along with nearly $8.5 million for improvements at service plazas and $53.8 million aimed at expanding truck parking. The Florida Department of Transportation says the overall widening program stretches from South Florida through Central Florida to Interstate 75 in Wildwood.
Under FDOT’s plan, every section of the Turnpike mainline will eventually have at least six lanes. When the work is finished, the state says the expansion will add more than 965 lane miles of capacity.
Florida has already added 384 lane miles across the broader Turnpike system during DeSantis’ administration, including 179 lane miles along the mainline, according to FDOT.
Some major sections are already finished.
The widening between State Road 50 in Clermont and Hancock Road in Minneola was completed in June. In South Florida, work between the Dolphin Expressway, or State Road 836, and Northwest 106th Street was completed in February 2024. FDOT said the following segment between Northwest 106th Street and I-75 has also recently opened to traffic.
The state is also putting money into what drivers find when they pull off the Turnpike.
Nearly $8.5 million is being directed toward new food options, amenities and customer services. DeSantis said the investment covers 19 restaurant and retail locations across six Turnpike service plazas. Recently updated offerings include Jimmy John’s, Zaxby’s, Vending Oasis and Villa Pizza.
Commercial drivers are getting another significant investment.
FDOT plans to spend $53.8 million to expand and improve nearly 150 truck parking spaces at the Turkey Lake and Ocoee service plazas. State transportation officials said the additional spaces are intended to provide truck drivers with more places to safely stop and rest while traveling the Turnpike.
The Turnpike widening is part of Florida’s broader transportation infrastructure program, with the state describing increased capacity and improved travel reliability as the primary goals of the mainline projects.