Florida’s $578M I-75 Expansion Kicks Off in 2026, Set to Cut Drive Times by 47%

State planners are gearing up for a major overhaul of I-75 between Fort Myers and Naples. The massive construction effort will begin in 2026.

The $578 million project will transform the 18.5-mile stretch into an eight-lane highway. By adding a lane in each direction plus merge zones, drivers can expect their trips to be reduced up to 47%.

Construction will stretch from Golden Gate Parkway to Corkscrew Road. Plans have moved ahead of schedule, starting twelve months sooner than first thought. 

The public's reaction varies wildly. "It will be fantastic," wrote Andy Eippert Sr. on social media. Tina Goodman chimed in: "Make HOV lanes & keep trucks in a separate lane. Need to enlarge all the narrow bridges."

Officials have started studying how construction might shake up local life. Their focus spans from neighborhood impacts to business disruptions and environmental concerns. Public input sessions will run through summer.

Up the road, workers are putting the final touches on the Colonial Boulevard interchange in Lee County, which is set to wrap up by mid-May.

In Collier County, night crews are tackling the area's first diverging diamond where Pine Ridge Road crosses I-75. Working from dusk till dawn, they're installing drainage and fixing roadways. The completion date is set for mid-2027.