I-295's East Side Widening Has a $307.5 Million Estimate and No Construction Money Yet, and FDOT Holds Its Work Program Hearing Nov. 19

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A proposed widening of Interstate 295 on Jacksonville's east side is still waiting for construction money, even though the state is already buying the land it would need. The Florida Department of Transportation told First Coast News that right-of-way acquisition is underway, but that construction is not yet funded. The next public checkpoint is FDOT District 2's Work Program public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 19, where the agency will present updated project information.

What is proposed

According to First Coast News, the proposal would widen I-295 between the Southside Connector and Butler Boulevard to three lanes in each direction. The plan also includes some added auxiliary lanes in certain areas and improvements to interchanges along the route. An early estimate put the cost at $307.5 million, which is the figure the station's headline rounds to $300 million.

The stretch matters because of how the road changes. Per the same report, I-295 has only two lanes in each direction starting just past Beach Boulevard at the bottom of the Dames Point Bridge. Drivers who commute through the area can feel the squeeze every weekday, and the station's traffic anchor tracks regular bottlenecks and delays around Arlington. Wikipedia's exit list for the highway puts the Southside Connector at exit 45 and Butler Boulevard at exit 53, which places the proposed widening across roughly eight miles of the east beltway.

Where the money stands

FDOT said the project has been identified as a priority. The department also said that right-of-way acquisition is underway right now, which means the state is already working to secure the land the wider road would need. Construction, however, has no funding at this point, and no start date has been announced.

FDOT tied the timeline to the state budget process. The agency said its Tentative Work Program for Fiscal Years 2028 through 2032 is still being developed and will conclude with the Nov. 19 public hearing. Once the Florida Legislature secures construction funding, FDOT said, there will be a clearer picture of when work could begin.

The Nov. 19 hearing at a glance

The hearing covers more than I-295. It is the District 2 review of every project the state plans to fund in the tentative work program, which covers July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2032. District 2 spans 18 counties in North Florida, including Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns, according to FDOT.

FDOT's hearing page says the Legislature and the governor review the program before it is adopted. That means a project that appears on the list can still change as the budget moves forward. Anyone who wants to comment can do so at the hearing or through the comment period that runs through Jan. 20.

What drivers are saying

First Coast News heard from drivers on social media who want more capacity on the east beltway. Several argued that I-295 should have three lanes around the entire city, and one said the road should have been widened decades ago. Another commenter noted that the city said years ago the road would be widened all the way around. Those comments are opinions from viewers, not studies, and the station's report did not include traffic-volume figures.

What happens next

For now, the practical steps are small. Drivers who want details can look for the updated project information FDOT says it will present on Nov. 19, and they can watch whether the widening appears in the final work program. The report did not say how long right-of-way purchases are expected to take or which parcels are involved.

It also remains unclear how the $307.5 million early estimate might change before construction money is secured. FDOT described the number only as part of an early proposal, and a project of this size can be revised as designs advance. Until the Legislature funds construction, the agency says it cannot offer a firm schedule.

Quick facts

• Proposed limits: Southside Connector to Butler Boulevard, per First Coast News.
• Proposed design: three lanes each way, some auxiliary lanes and interchange improvements.
• Early cost estimate: $307.5 million.
• Status: right-of-way acquisition underway; construction not funded.
• Hearing: Thursday, Nov. 19, open house 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., presentation at 6 p.m.
• Comments accepted through Jan. 20, 2027.