INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis was in Indian River County on Monday to celebrate the completion of a new I-95 interchange at Oslo Road, a $100 million project state officials say will improve traffic flow, emergency response times and freight movement.
The interchange, which opened about a year ahead of schedule, marks the first new I-95 interchange built in Indian River County in nearly 50 years.
DeSantis said the project will provide a new direct connection to I-95 while easing congestion at nearby interchanges at Indrio Road and State Road 60.
"This is going to bring a new critical connection to I-95 for a part of the state that has changed quite a bit," DeSantis said.
According to the governor, drivers using Oslo Road to access I-95 can expect travel times to be cut roughly in half. State transportation officials also project traffic along the corridor will continue growing through 2045.
DeSantis said the project is expected to have significant public safety benefits as well. The state estimates emergency response times in the area could be reduced by as much as 56%, allowing first responders to reach crashes and other emergencies more quickly.
"This will ultimately save some lives because time is of the essence in some of these situations," DeSantis said.
Region Indian River County
Major roadway project stirring debate over growth in this county
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said improved access to I-95 for first responders was one of the project's most important features.
"Every single second counts when it comes to saving lives, and this is going to reduce the time it takes for first responders to get to incidents substantially," Perdue said.
The new interchange is also expected to improve freight movement for businesses in southern Indian River County by providing a more direct route to the interstate for trucks and commercial traffic.
State officials said the project was accelerated through Florida's Moving Florida Forward initiative, a transportation funding program launched by the DeSantis administration to speed up major road projects across the state.
Perdue said FDOT worked with contractors through a "voluntary acceleration" program that rewarded construction teams for finding ways to complete projects more quickly. As a result, the Oslo Road interchange was finished approximately 400 days ahead of schedule.
In addition to transportation improvements, FDOT acquired land near the interchange to establish a dedicated gopher tortoise habitat. State officials said the site will serve as the only relocation area of its kind in Southeast Florida, allowing protected tortoises to be moved while infrastructure projects continue.
The Oslo Road interchange is part of nearly $1 billion in planned transportation investments across Florida's Treasure Coast region.
"This interchange sets a clear example of how Florida delivers infrastructure that improves quality of life today while building more capacity for the future," DeSantis said.
