FDOT hires design contractor to develop major upgrades on I-75 in Central Florida

Ease up on I-75, at least for a few months.

A 23-mile stretch of Interstate 75 running through Central Florida will soon undergo a major overhaul.

AtkinsRéalis, an engineering firm based in Montreal, Canada, has been awarded a design contract for the project. AtkinsRéalis is a subcontractor for Anderson Columbia Company Incorporated’s Design Build Team, which is overseeing the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project.

The specific project will run about two dozen miles from the area north of the I-75 interchange with the Florida Turnpike near Ocala south through Central Florida, past The Villages to the area near Wildwood. The project will run through Sumter and Marion counties and is designed to add auxiliary lanes and several interchanges.

“The design concepts were developed through a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study that evaluated alternatives to help reduce congestion and improve reliability on I-75,” an FDOT news release said.

AtkinsRéalis will also provide designs to replace three bridges and widen an additional bridge in the contract, which lasts four years. Additional improvements will include stormwater drainage, signage and road markings along I-75 once work on the project begins in the Spring of 2025.

“Our team’s extensive experience on the corridor and long history of delivering exceptional high-quality projects throughout the state sets us apart,” said Brad Dennard, senior vice president, U.S. DOT business unit director and roads global market lead for AtkinsRéalis.

“Add in our command of technologies to analyze design and constructability phasing, maximize traffic control plans and effectively engage with stakeholders, it’s easy to understand why so many state DOTs trust AtkinsRéalis to advance their work programs.”

The I-75 project is part of a bigger objective by FDOT called the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative approved by the Legislature in 2023. An estimated $4 billion will be spent on “critical needs” projects around the state.