Florida News Updates

The Automated Vehicles Symposium conference is attracting some of the heaviest hitters in autonomous vehicles and could be the first step in making Central Florida a hub for the fast-emerging driverless car industry.

The future of Florida’s highways seems to be hands-free after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Autonomous Vehicles bill that took effect July 1. It removes what the state calls “unnecessary obstacles that hinder the development of autonomous vehicle technology and solidifies Florida’s position as a leading state for transportation innovation.”

Port Tampa Bay completed a $63 million expansion of its Big Bend Channel a year ahead of schedule, port officials said, as the Sunshine State eyes grabbing more freight from shippers while serving a growing distribution corridor in Central Florida.

Manatee County, Fla., tomato farmer Gary Reeder says he has seen the county’s tomato industry “basically cut in half” during his lifetime. Reeder says Florida tomato farmers struggle to compete with their counterparts in Mexico.

The agency overseeing the Port of Port St. Joe in Florida has submitted a pre-application to Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. seeking $15 million for the first phase of dredging the federally authorized shipping channel.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s recently awarded $8.245 million grant to the Canaveral Port Authority will expand the port’s cargo and cruise businesses through several roadway improvement projects.

Container volume at Florida's Port Manatee reached a full-year record for the first 10 months of its current fiscal year.

A project aimed at helping to solve congestion at South Florida’s ports by utilizing the U.S. 27 corridor from Miami to western Palm Beach County is being revived

Florida’s roads and bridges are in line to receive more than $4 billion in fiscal 2018 as part of the budget announced by Gov. Rick Scott on Jan. 31. Scott’s total proposed transportation budget of $10.8 billion makes it four straight years with that total topping $10 million and reaching a new high.

Port Everglades plans to sign an agreement with Cuba designed to generate job opportunities locally and revenue for both the port and its Caribbean counterpart, according to a letter by Port Director Steven Cernak inviting business leaders to the signing on Jan. 26.