MIAMI — The Florida Department of Transportation on Tuesday awarded a $2.1 billion contract to a joint venture of Webber LLC and Ferrovial Construction to expand Interstate 95 through Miami-Dade and Broward counties, adding express lanes along a 28-mile stretch from downtown Miami to Boca Raton.

The project, designated FIN-95-JV-2026, calls for the addition of two managed express lanes in each direction, with dynamic tolling designed to maintain free-flow traffic. Construction is expected to begin in August 2026 and run through late 2031.

FDOT District 6 Secretary Ivette Ruiz-Raber said the corridor carries more than 280,000 vehicles per day and has consistently ranked among the state’s most congested highways.

“This investment will improve mobility for millions of residents and commuters in South Florida,” Ruiz-Raber said at a Tuesday press conference at the department’s Miami offices. “The express lanes will give drivers a reliable, faster option when they need it most.”

The contract includes $340 million in utility relocation and drainage improvements, which FDOT officials said have delayed prior expansion efforts. Work crews will operate around the clock on select segments, with traffic maintained in both directions throughout construction.

Broward County Commissioner Mark Bogen called the project overdue, noting that I-95 congestion costs the regional economy an estimated $6.8 billion annually in lost productivity and fuel costs, according to a 2025 INRIX traffic analysis.

Environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act were completed in November 2025 after a four-year process. The final record of decision included noise mitigation barriers along residential sections in Hallandale Beach and Hollywood.

The joint venture will use design-build delivery, allowing construction to proceed on completed design segments while other portions remain in final design. Major subcontractors include SCCI Group for concrete work and Southeast Bridge Builders for interchange reconstruction at SR-826.

Author: James Rivera

Infrastructure Reporter. Covers FDOT contracts, highway expansion, and transit projects across Florida. Former civil engineer with 12 years in highway design before transitioning to construction journalism.