ARCADIA — Florida transportation officials are moving forward with plans to widen Kings Highway near the Charlotte–DeSoto county line and are inviting the public to learn more and provide feedback.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the project covers a 1.2-mile stretch of Kings Highway from the county line north to SW Glenadine Avenue. Planned improvements include widening the roadway, modifying median access and upgrading drainage. Construction is projected to begin in 2027.
A separate project already scheduled for 2026 will widen about a half-mile of two-lane Kings Highway from the DeSoto County line into Charlotte County. When both projects are complete, Kings Highway will be four lanes from Port Charlotte into DeSoto County, officials said.
FDOT and DeSoto County have scheduled two public information meetings to present design details and gather comments. The first is an in-person open house at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at Grace Presbyterian Church, 10548 Kings Highway, Arcadia. The second is a virtual meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, featuring a presentation and live question-and-answer session with the project team. The same materials will be available at both meetings and posted online.
In addition, FDOT is conducting a separate study to evaluate widening State Road 70 in eastern DeSoto County. That study spans approximately 16.7 miles from west of State Road 31 to the Highlands County line and will examine expanding the road from two lanes to four, along with possible bridge replacements, intersection upgrades, stormwater improvements, wildlife crossings, and bicycle and pedestrian features.
For more information, residents can visit the FDOT project website or contact project manager Doug Burkhart at 813-727-9157 or by email. Special accommodations or translation services for the in-person meeting are available upon request through FDOT.
