See the work on I-4 Moving Forward? Here's how to help build it
If you’ve been on Interstate 4 through Osceola County recently, you’ve seen construction crews expanding it through the Moving I-4 Forward program.
Wanna help build it? … Or roads like it?
For the past year, the Florida Department of Transportation has offered a training program, the Florida Transportation Academy Construction Training Program in Kissimmee. Over 250 people have participated and learned the skills and earned the skill sets to work on the infrastructure project and expand the pool of skilled workers available to help bring relief to tens of thousands of drivers daily.
After an initial four-week classroom and heavy equipment simulation training, students choose to either earn a Class-B commercial driver’s license (CDL) or enter the workforce with access to a variety of fulltime work opportunities, an FDOT representative said.
FDOT is also constructing a multi-use training track designed to prepare participants for licensure and provide hands-on experience with heavy equipment. The new training track is expected to be operational later this month.
“By providing hands-on training and real-world experience, this program is equipping students with the skills and confidence they need to be successful in high-demand construction positions,” said Chief Operations Officer and Assistant Secretary Will N. Watts Jr., P.E. “Our graduates are creating long-term careers, and we are helping to build a skilled workforce that will shape our communities for years to come.”
Visit Construction Training Program— MovingI4Forward (https://movingi4forward.com/construction-trainingprogram/) for more information and to apply.. A new class program begins Aug. 3, with three others planned for the rest of 2026. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. in Kissimmee. Work on the Moving I-4 Forward Program, which is widening and expanding a normally-congested stretch of I-4 from U.S, 27 in Polk County to State Road 536 in Orange County, is expected continue through the summer of 2031.
“This program changed my life,” said graduate Shaquille Brown. “Thanks to the Kissimmee Construction Training Program, I now have an incredible job at Preferred Materials as a ready-mix truck driver. This job wouldn’t have been possible without the licensing and certifications I received.”
KUA Adopts $328 Million Budget
Last week the Kissimmee Utility Authority board of directors approved a $328 million operating and capital budget for fiscal year 2027. The vote came after board discussions and a public hearing on the budget.
The $328 million budget includes $153 million for fuel and purchased power, which is a slight increase over the current fiscal year. Additionally, it includes $53 million in capital expenditures to fund upgrades to transmission facilities and extend distribution facilities to accommodate growth within the KUA service territory.
The budget authorizes an increase of two positions and a 4% cost of living adjustment for employees.
The budget also includes $35 million for transfers to the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, and Osceola County and a $57 million payroll, and anticipates an expected customer growth of 1.7% and an energy sales increase of 1.2% over the current fiscal budget’s projection. The new budget takes effect Oct. 1.
