Community Project Funding

My office is no longer accepting FY 2024 Appropriations requests for Community Project Funding.

Please review the following Community Project Funding requests I submitted on behalf of Florida’s 18th Congressional District and previous requests for the old 15th District.

Project Name: Watershed Culvert Improvement Project FY 2024

Request Amount: $480,000

Intended Recipient: Highlands County

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 600 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring, FL 33870

Summary of Request: 

The funding would be used to replace the most high-risk culvert structures deemed most corroded and ensure structures can maintain adequate water levels for use by stakeholders. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because completion of the project will reduce nutrient rich runoff from entering the C-41 Canal and eventually Lake Okeechobee.

Please see Congressman Franklin’s financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Upper Peace River Water Quality Treatment Proposal Project 2024

Request Amount: $4,320,000

Intended Recipient: Polk County

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 330 W. Church St., Bartow, Florida 33830

Summary of Request: 

The funding would be used to improve water quality by using new technologies and through restoration of degraded wetlands by filtering phosphorus runoff from Lake Hancock, Phyllis Branch, and Bear Branch. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the protection of surface water flows, flood protection, and management of water quality involved in this project provide essential pieces to addressing the impaired waters of central Florida.

Please see Congressman Franklin’s financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements and Expansion Project FY 2024

Request Amount: $4,708,840

Intended Recipient: City of Clewiston

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 115 West Ventura Avenue, Clewiston, Florida 33440

Summary of Request: 

The funding would be used for Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Improvements necessary to satisfy regulatory requirements and further fund the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s needs. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards. The proposed comprehensive WWTP upgrade and expansion project will further ensure Clewiston’s facility can meet or exceed all federal regulatory compliance requirements.

Project Name: North Lake Shipp Drive Corridor Improvements

Request Amount: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient: City of Winter Haven

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 451 Third St. NW Winter Haven, FL

Summary of Request: 

North Lake Shipp Drive is a heavily traveled boulevard collector street in a residential neighborhood running along the northwest side of Lake Shipp. North Lake Shipp Drive is often used as a bi-pass route between Recker Highway and US 17. The existing roadway is subject to severe flooding and the pavement has been overlaid numerous times without raising the adjacent curb, creating a driving hazard. Funding would offset the costs of stormwater mitigation, utility relocation, and road improvements.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Powerline Road South Extension

Request Amount: $7,500,000

Intended Recipient: Polk County

Full Steet Address of the Intended Recipient: 330 W. Church Street, Bartow, FL

Summary of Request:

This project is a proposed new alignment of Powerline Road from E. Hinson Avenue in Haines City south to Scenic Hwy 17 in Dundee. This project will allow local traffic an alternative route to Hwy 27. Moving local traffic to an alternative roadway creates more capacity on Highway 27 for the movement of commerce through this area. This would also improve the regional supply chain by alleviating traffic congestion on Hwy 27 by extending Powerline Road south to Scenic Hwy 17 in Dundee. This project is included in the Polk County Transportation Planning Organization’s Long Range Transportation Plan and the FDOT Hwy 27 Mobility Study.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: FDC Grove Road/Northridge Trail Flyover

Request Amount: $4,000,000

Intended Recipient: Polk County

Full Strett Address of the Intended Recipient: 330 W. Church Street, Bartow, FL

Summary of Request:

This project is a bridge/flyover I-4 west of US 27 to connect FDC Grove Road to the Northridge Trail. This project will allow local traffic to bypass that interchange by moving local north/south traffic on a route parallel to US Highway 27. Moving local traffic to an alternative roadway creates more capacity on US Highway 27 for the movement of commerce through this area. To improve the regional supply chain by alleviating traffic congestion at the Interstate 4/US Highway 27 interchange, Polk County will construct a bridge flyover.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Brighton Road Safety Improvement Project FY24

Request Amount: $5,337,875

Intended Recipient: Seminole Tribe

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: Brighton Reservation Northeast Glades, FL

Summary of Request:

The funding would be used for the Brighton Reservation, Reservation Road Safety Improvement Project will reconstruct 8.1 miles of Reservation Road (County Road 721) to bring the roadway into conformance with current design and safety standards. The requested funds will be used to design a safer facility that currently serves as the main route to the community area of the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation. 

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: University of Florida Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence Funding FY24

Request Amount: $5,500,000

Intended Recipient: Institute of Food and Agricultural Science Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 14625 CR 672, Wimauma, FL 33598

Summary of Request:

The funding would be used to purchase equipment that will be used in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) - powered machinery prototypes and technology to address agricultural challenges related to labor, weather, and the environment. Novel research conducted at the CAAI will support innovative AI tools and modernize manufacturing processes to autonomously accomplish farming practices that currently require manual labor.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter.

Project Name: Bridging Resource and Information Gaps in Human Trafficking (BRIGHT) Network Expansion

Request Amount: $1,850,000

Intended Recipient: University of South Florida

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620

Summary of Request:

The funding would be used to expand access to the BRIGHT Network to Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Okeechobee, Glades, Hendry, and Collier counties. The BRIGHT Network is an online system that connects trafficked persons to vetted service providers and informs first responders of available resources for survivors. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it addresses the need for quality control measures for service providers and confidentiality protection for trafficking survivors.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Polk County Public Safety Radio System

Request Amount: $1,000,000

Intended Recipient: Polk County

Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 330 West Church Street, PO Box 9005, Drawer CA01, Bartow, FL 33831-9005

Summary of Request:

The funding would be used for the Polk County Public Safety Radio System which adds a redundant radio system infrastructure that eliminates a single point of failure. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because supports essential radio communications for Sheriff’s Offices, Fire Rescue, Municipal Police and Fire Departments, Public Schools, School Guardians, state, and federal agencies in Polk County and supports interoperability with Hardee, Highlands, and DeSoto counties.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: CyberWorks Cybersecurity Workforce Training Program

Request Amount: $2,500,000

Intended Recipient: University of South Florida

Full Street Address of Intended Recipient: 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620

Summary of Request:

The funding would be used to expand the 19-week cybersecurity certificate training program to 300 students using hybrid live and virtual education. CyberWorks, at no cost, prepares non-traditional adult students, and especially recently discharged military veterans, to enter the civilian and defense cybersecurity workforce as Tier 1 Security Operation Center (SOC) Analysts. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the training will support the increasing demand for trained cybersecurity professionals in Florida and our nation’s workforce.

Please see Congressman Franklin's financial disclosure letter

Project Name: FDC Grove Road/North Ridge Trail Flyover

Request Amount: $8 million

Intended Recipient: Polk County Board of County Commissioners

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 330 West Church Street, Bartow, Florida

Summary of Request: This project funds a bridge flyover construction project on Interstate 4, west of U.S. Route 27, which will connect the FDC Grove Road to the Northridge Trail. The project will help to alleviate local traffic congestion by moving it to an alternative roadway. The increased capacity on U.S. Highway 27 will allow for better movement of commerce through this area. This project is included in the Polk County Transportation Planning Organization’s Long Range Transportation Plan and will be managed under the Florida Department of Transportation.

Please see Congressman Franklin’s financial disclosure letter

Project Name: Interstate 4/State Road 33 interchange reconstruction project

Request Amount: $104,800,000

Intended Recipient: City of Lakeland, Florida

Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 228 South Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland FL 33801

Summary of Request: This project includes the reconstruction of the existing diamond interchange and the adjacent two-lane section of State Road 33. The eastbound and westbound ramp terminals on State Road 33 will be converted to roundabouts and the existing State Road 33/University Boulevard intersection will also be converted to a roundabout.

Please see Congressman Franklin’s financial disclosure letter