Leaders in Hendry County were celebrating a big windfall recently that could actually speed up the pace of a long-awaited road improvement project.

For the better part of 15 years, Hendry County has been seeking funding to improve County Road 78. And each year the funds expected for road improvements in the rural heartland were delayed.

But recently the county was informed it is getting $1 million in federal funds to pay for a road study and the road improvement design

Shane Parker, the director of the county’s public works department shared the news of the $1 million grant with the board of county commissioners recently. He explained how the county was trying to get Department of Transportation funding dating back to when Rick Scott was governor.

“It’s been on the county docket for seeking Scott funding from the DOT since probably 2011 and we could never get funding for it and we got a million dollars," Parker said.

Parker said the grant should fast-track the county to get the $7 million or so it needs in funding for the actual road improvement work on County Road 78.

“It’s very competitive and prices are up high, so this is good. This is a God-send for sure,” Parker said.

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