Florida Trends & Conditions

Florida is the third most populous state in the country and continues to grow at a record pace. As more people call Florida home and the number of annual visitors grows, Florida’s transportation system must carefully plan to accommodate the anticipated growth. Through strategic planning, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and our local partners identify the trends impacting transportation. 

Part of the strategic planning process is the development of The Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) which serves as a statewide plan to guide the future of transportation in Florida. FDOT and our partners develop this plan to provide vision and policy guidance to organizations with roles in the planning and management of Florida's transportation system, including partners at the state, regional, and local levels. 

Although the FTP presents information on a wide variety of subjects, congestion and density are important factors to consider. Projections 25-30 years out show the state of Florida is expected to experience high levels of growth portrayed in the congestion and density estimates. The  Florida Transportation Trends  document and story map provide an outlook for the state and walk through key items affecting Florida’s current and future transportation challenges.

The regional stories below highlight the trends, opportunities, and challenges impacting areas throughout the state of Florida. From densely populated coastal communities, areas highly impacted with seasonal and visitor populations, to agricultural and rural communities, the regional stories share the unique challenges and opportunities for Florida’s diverse regions.