DeSantis Awards City of Marathon $1.3 Million Through Job Growth Grant Fund

'It's going to benefit residents, it's going to benefit tourism, and improve traffic flow to properties others can invest in'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks in a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Ian at Fisherman's Wharf in Fort Myers, Fla., on Oct. 5, 2022. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

During an Oct. 28 press conference on Crawl Key in Marathon, Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his award of $1.3 million for infrastructure improvements to U.S. Highway 1. Funding for the Marathon project will support widening U.S. 1, adding a turn lane, and installing utility infrastructure that will include nearly a mile of new sewer lines. It will also add improvements to increase the overall wastewater capacity of the Marathon system.

According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) website, the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is “an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state.” Applications are reviewed by the DEO and Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI). The governor chooses projects based on workforce training or infrastructure needs of that community.