No Money for roads and bridges
The looming shortfall in the Federal Highway Trust Fund(HTF) poses a significant risk to long-term infrastructure project’s in Florida’s 16th District, as, current law mandates immediate spending cuts when reserves are exhausted. Vern Buchanan did earmark $12 million last April, for road projects within a radius of his beach house. No options for replenishing the Trust Fund.
Solvency Outlook for 2026-
2028
As of February 2026, the Congressional Budget Office(CBO) projects the HTF will officially run dry by Fiscal Year 2028.
Once reserves are exhausted, federal law requires a 40% immediate cut to highway spending to match incoming revenue.
Current HTF spending authorizations are set to expire on September 30th, 2026, making the upcoming reauthorization a critical hurdle for future funding certainty.
While Florida’s fully funded $15.1 Billion transportation Budget for 2025-2026 provides a buffer, the HTF shortfall affects projects with long timelines or heavy federal reliance.
This specific project was completed in October 2025 at a cost of $143 Million. Consequently, it is not affected by the impending 2028 shortfall.
This $168 Million project was recently delayed , construction is not expected to break ground until 2030. Because this start date falls after the projected 2028 insolvency, its federal funding portion (roughly 22.8% of the states overall work program) could be jeopardized if Congress does not authorize a new funding source or general fund transfer by then.
The HTF also finances the Transit Account, projects like the SUN Trail Extension in Bradenton rely on these federal outlays, which are also projected to face exhaustion by 2028.
This project will widen SR 60 in eastern Hillsborough County to a six-lane divided roadway with a buffered bike lane between Valrico Rd. and Dover Rd. Other improvements include adding sidewalks where they do not already exist.
The project is currently in design. Construction is not funded at this time.
Ongoing improvements from Dover Road to SR 39
This new 4 lane tolled road(2 lanes in each direction) will improve connectivity thru Polk County and will provide additional access to I-4
Posted on 26 Feb 2026, 21:25 - Category: Pressing issues
Apparently this Representative is NOT representing you very well (if we all spent 10 minutes a week on politics of the day we’d be paying LESS for so much)
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