Florida is even more prepared for NASA to move its HQ to the Space Coast
TITUSVILLE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the early completion of the NASA Causeway Bridge in Brevard County, delivering the second of two bridges six months ahead of schedule. The new bridge will officially open to traffic as soon as Wednesday, March 19. The new, taller, and wider bridges stretch 4,025 feet over the Indian River and, as fixed spans, eliminate the need for drawbridge openings. This upgrade also supports the increasing volume and size of payloads and space industry vehicles traveling through the region’s growing high-tech aerospace corridor. With the opening of the new bridge, traffic will transition to its final configuration—westbound vehicles will utilize the newly completed bridge, while the existing bridge will be dedicated exclusively to eastbound traffic. This $128 million project was made possible through a strong partnership between FDOT, NASA, and Space Florida.“Cape Canaveral Spaceport broke records with 93 launches and 2.7 million pounds of space cargo last year—and we’re expecting over 150 launches this year,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida is committed to building the infrastructure the space industry needs to keep growing, and with these new bridges, Florida is more ready than ever to become home to NASA’s new headquarters.”The first of the two bridges was completed 125 days ahead of schedule in 2023 and has already supported over 1,000 space industry transports. It has played a vital role in serving every launch partner at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, including NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense.“The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) worked closely with our space industry partners and our local communities to meet their vision for the area and their transportation needs,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “This NASA Causeway Bridge project along with the Space Commerce Way widening project will support the growing workforce and evolving needs of this community and our state long into the future.”Additionally, in late 2024, FDOT completed the 2.7-mile widening of Space Commerce Way—from NASA Parkway West to Kennedy Parkway—expanding it from two to four lanes to better accommodate oversized loads traveling to and from Kennedy Space Center, Exploration Park, and the area’s growing space industry hubs. ### |
