Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch has released a report titled "From Roads to Roots: A Review of Florida’s Highway Landscape Spending," advocating for the establishment of an upper limit on landscape spending by the legislature. The report acknowledges the value of highway landscaping and suggests that policies should be implemented to better protect investments in this area.
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro stated, “Not only is the continual development of the state’s transportation network critical to limit traffic congestion and move people and goods safely and efficiently throughout the state, but the maintenance of well-planned and sustainable highway landscaping provides important safety, environmental, and economic benefits.” He added that policies protecting highway landscaping investments should be considered by the Florida legislature.
Calabro also highlighted that highway landscaping serves as an economic driver with $58 million in value-added impacts identified from 2008-2013. He noted, “As visitors enter the state, their first impression comes from the window of a car. Building a sense of culture and beauty along state highways can encourage prospective businesses and tourists to spend more time in the state of Florida.”
According to s.334.044(26), F.S., at least 1.5 percent of transportation construction spending must be allocated for plant materials for highway landscaping. For FY 2023-24, this amounted to over $200 million out of FDOT's $13.6 billion Work Program budget.
The report underscores that while highway landscaping has several benefits such as stabilizing embankments, minimizing maintenance needs, providing barriers between roads and communities, supporting local ecosystems, lowering temperatures, and creating visually appealing gateways—there is no upper limit on landscape spending set by legislation.
In response to a request from Florida TaxWatch, FDOT provided data showing a 37 percent increase in moving three-year average costs for highway beautification from 2014 to 2023 due to expensive projects like expressways creation and major bridge constructions.
TaxWatch recommends amending §334.044(26) Fla. Stat. (2023) either by including a tiered pricing system similar to SB 1226 (2024) or establishing an upper limit on roadway landscaping expenditures akin to Texas' model. Additionally, they suggest funding a comprehensive review program ensuring compliance with maintenance standards for proper protection of investment in plant materials.
Florida TaxWatch is an independent nonpartisan nonprofit government watchdog organization focused on improving productivity and accountability within Florida's government through research funded by voluntary donations and private grants.
For further details or access to the full commentary visit www.floridataxwatch.org.
___