I talked to one of them, Laura Parks Catlow, 64, a former travel industry employee, who said the route runs right through her property. However, the Bill still allowed FDOT to evaluate a new northern extension of the turnpike. Each of the routes would pave over large swaths of rural areas. You can find recent press releases, public notices, media contacts, links "This does not send a signal to our community that the project is dead, and until FDOT makes its position crystal clear, we will remain vigilant and involved. DeSantis signed the repeal into law without saying one word about his apparently contradictory stance. I am talking about the Northern Turnpike Extension, which is supposed to branch off from the Florida Turnpike in Wildwood and head north toward some as-yet-unnamed terminus. But when the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the M-CORES price tag suddenly seemed too high and the state made another choice. More than two miles of that route would slice through the middle of the Hlpata Tastanaki Preserve, the Cross Florida Greenway and the Goethe State Forest. When guest speaker Jared Perdue, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, said the Northern Turnpike Extension is still in the agencys plans, an audible response came from some audience members. It is a four-lane toll facility that extends the existing Suncoast Parkway northward for 13 miles from US 98 to SR 44 in Lecanto. Bryant said asking the state to adhereto the MCORES recommendations was consistent with the language of the state law that authorized the turnpike expansion study. Some of the major planned projects include: A flyover from Marion Oaks via Marion Oaks Manor east over I-75, ending at SE Highway 42. 407-532-3999 No one likes to drive State Road 200! she said to audience approval. "The environment, homes, farms, timberland, recreation areas, and our way of life are all at risk.". The extension increases options for residents and also for the millions of visitors our state sees each year.. That told everyone the DOT doesnt value either forests or history. Nearly two weeks ago, the five council members had directed staff to put together a resolution signaling their intentto fight the measure. Citrus County is currently under consideration within the study area for this Turnpike Extension via Alternative Corridor Central and Alternative Corridor South. Northern Turnpike Extension We are pleased to report that in December 2022, FDOT submitted its required report on the Northern Turnpike segment to the Governor and leaders of the House and Senate. The commissioners told the crowd they just found out about the DOTs plans, too, she said, and they appeared to be just as ticked off as their constituents. Staff drew up a resolution to that effect to send to . Work on the proposed extension, Perdue said, will start up again in the next year or so with the agency re-engaging the potentially affected communities. North A and North B routes (red and blue) impact southwest Marion County more than Central and South (yellow and purple). In a broader sense, the choices we make for highway routes demonstrate what we value as a society. See this map in color with this story at www.RiverlandNews.com.The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce has joined forces with the Ocala and Dunnellon chambers in asking the state to work with them on a northern turnpike extension route that addresses common environmental and other concerns. They said it would threaten Rainbow Springs, one of the state's largest springs. FDOT has put clear explanations, videos, graphics, maps and schedules on the website www.floridasturn pike.com/NTE. At least two of the potential routes show it cutting through Levy County. Phone: 352.732.0073 0:30. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1 (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or 955-8770 (voice). Who benefits from it? . Ruthie Davis Schlabach. We count on community support to continue this important work. Many addressed the five commissioners, and the vast majority of them wanted the board to join the City of Dunnellon in fully objecting to the road project, which would extend the turnpike's northern terminus from Wildwood/Interstate 75 west to U.S. 19. Michael McGrath,a representative from the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club and the No Roads to Ruin Coalition Steering Committee, applauded council members for holding Monday's meeting and taking a strong stance against the proposed road. The Homestead Extension (HEFT) provides an alternate route to metropolitan Miami from the Overseas Highway, avoiding much of the congestion along U.S. 1 (Dixie Highway). Bryant then sought approval of her proposed language. %PDF-1.7 % SR 9/I-95 at SR 842/Broward Boulevard Interchange. You can find recent press releases, public notices, media contacts, links to our social media pages and newsroom. Commissioners on the losing side of a vote cannot take such action. The department studied four potential routes for the Northern Turnpike Extension Project. Citrus County's elected leaders agreed Friday that the "no-build" option for a possible Florida Turnpike extension is no option for them. Dunnellon Mayor Bill White said the amount of traffic coming and going through the city would be enormous. At the end of the letter, Stone wanted to add that county officials request to "partner with you as this project progresses through the different phases of development.". I-595 Express Lane Projects. A copy of the resolution also will be sent to Gov. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. But wait, I said, the Legislature killed off those expensive and ridiculous roads to nowhere! They also said the project would destroy homes and the environment. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Then, in a move even a dung beetle would call stinky, Galvano announced that he had had a brilliant idea: Florida should build a bunch of expensive roads that the DOT didnt have on any of its maps, and it should do this really fast. Contact Us, Copyright 2023 Ocala Gazette | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions. Mark Seveska lives in the Pine Ridge community in Citrus County, which falls in one of the proposed paths. Sally McDavid, a fourth-generation Floridian, said getting away from urban sprawl is why many people moved to Citrus County. In addition to transportation information, the HFF team also awarded their Acorn Conservation Award to John and Leslie Malone,owners of Bridlewood Farm, a thoroughbred breeding and training facility. 07/25/17. Entering Miami-Dade County, 3.34 miles of State Road 91 remain along Florida's Turnpike southbound. If the projects move forward with 100% build-out as currently proposed, the county has projected the need for traffic improvements at well over $60 million. One challenge, she said, is We dont know if both projects will come in at the same time. The developers would be responsible for 98% of the road and intersection(s) costs. Department officials recently released four proposed routes of the turnpike extension, three of them cutting through southwestern Marion County. The southernmost road would have demolished habitat for our official state animal, the panther. Citrus County commissioners are opposing proposals to extend Florida's Turnpike through rural counties north of the Tampa Bay region. But Stone said Bryant's language was tantamount to supporting the "no build" option. Its proposed route ran straight through a part of Marion County thats been dubbed the Horse Capital of the World, home to Floridas $2.6 billion equine industry. Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118,austin.miller@starbanner.comor@almillerosb. Local governments in those communities have already objected to similar toll road plans in the past. State transportation officials on Thursday officially killed a proposal that would have extended Florida's Turnpike from where it now ends at Interstate 75 near Wildwood east to connect with U.S. 19. Low near 60F. But according to Roscow, they built it in Hernando County, not Citrus. That showed the agency cares enough about bad publicity to pay lip service to replicating history, but not to actually preserving it. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. by Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix November 18, 2021. Florida Department of Transportation, ALERT : Mainline Converts to Electronic Toll Collection, Suncoast Extension Opens in Citrus County, Constructing full interchanges at US 98 and W. Cardinal Street and a partial interchange at SR 44, Two all-electronic tolling gantries and equipment buildings, Related drainage, lighting, highway signing, traffic signalization, guardrail and sidewalk, The Suncoast Trail, part of Floridas Statewide Greenways and Trails System, will be extended to SR 44 and a pedestrian overpass constructed over US 98. Whos hurt by it? (Maybe instead of DOT we should call it the DOh!-OT.). Commissioners noted that this is a state project, authorized by law, and the study will happen with or without county government's involvement. At least two of the potential routes show it cutting through Levy County. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Last month, because of Halloween, TV was full of horror movies, including one cleverly titled Halloween.. Palmetto Express. We embrace our communities, he said, but we know we have to do something. Use exit markers and travel plaza markers to navigate to that exit's page. The state Department of Transportation on Wednesday told elected officials in northern Central Florida that the agency is no longer pursuing the four proposed routes for a possible northern. I-75 is not a reliable facility now, he said. Opposition:In Dunnellon, a resounding no for Florida's proposed northern turnpike extension, Rejection: Sand mine denied; lakeside lots approved; Countryside Farms gets buffer, Roadways analyzed: The Marion County roads with the highest traffic counts. The red line appeared to draw the wrath of the county commission since it appears to cut through the Morriston area and would potentially ravage farmlands, subdivisions, and forests. The meeting started at 9 a.m. and lasted an hour. But on residents' minds was one of four plans of Northern Turnpike Extension that would go straight their neighborhoods. Directions & Map, 1996 - 2020 Citrus County commissioners are opposing proposals to extend Florida's Turnpike through rural counties north of the Tampa Bay region. Opponents said there is little need for the toll road and it would destroy some of the last remaining rural areas north of Tampa Bay. QAa& A road is a choice, you see, and clearly the Legislature and DOT were choosing to value pavement and development over the things that make life in Levy County appealing. The area north of the interchange has been notorious for massive traffic jams in recent years. Presently, three of the four proposed routes would pass through Marion County. The Suncoast Parkway 2 is open to traffic. Craig is co-host of the "Welcome to Florida" podcast. But when Pleasence looks for his body, its gone. The first goal of the Ocala Gazette is to deliver trustworthy local journalism so corruption, misinformation and abuse are not hidden from the public or unchallenged. The Legislature finds that the extension of the Florida Turnpike from its northerly terminus in Wildwood to a logical and appropriate terminus as determined by the Department of Transportation is in the strategic interest of the state, the bill states. Instead, on a contentious 3-2 vote, the commission agreed to send a letter to the Florida Department of Transportation, urging it to give Marion County governmenta seat at the table as the state studies the proposed highway. He said leaders won't be able to control the growth. Many of the people who attended Tuesday's County Commissionmeetingleft disappointed when the board declined to support the "no build" option for the proposed northern extension of the Florida Turnpike. But the potential northern extension of the turnpike was allowed to proceed to the study phase. The commissioners promised to write to the governor and the DOT demanding an explanation of this latest outrage, Catlow said. P.O. SB 100 directs Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to study what is now known as the Northern Turnpike Extension. Zalak told the ones left at the meeting, fewerthan100, by that point,to calm down and behave themselves. Perdue discussed two phases of the I-75 master plan that will affect Marion County: additional lanes on I-75 in each direction between State Road 44 and State Road 326, and interim modifications of the SR 326 and State Road 40 interchanges to help alleviate the regular congestion. Google Maps / State transportation officials are moving ahead with plans to extend the northern end of the Florida Turnpike beyond where it now ends at Interstate 75 in Wildwood. Box 613069 DUNNELLON The Dunnellon City Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution objecting to the proposed northern extension of the Florida Turnpike. g/O~r=$y{~J=HD'9DOrXUy0L>0`dJ0&d? DF[m/G3HFB_^Vj8bST:O(oi'0BKC%E#:/G)$d\LIh7?/%%CBloC>PMqiI Select an exit, travel plaza, toll plaza or other location from the map, or use the location list to get information and a close-up . FDOT Home. They heard about it when notices from the Florida Department of Transportation told them about a pair of informational meetings on Dec. 7 (Chiefland) and Dec. 9 (Lecanto). Citrus County commissioners last month backed the "no build" option for the northern turnpike extension - at least for those routes that would go through Citrus County. Rick Scott ruin their pastures by ramming a strip of asphalt through them! Michael McGrath. 204 37th Avenue North #182 St. Petersburg . A report summarizing the status of the Project Development and Environment Study must be submitted to the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the Florida House by December 31, 2022. The Northern Turnpike Extension project is a proposed extension of Florida's Turnpike from its northerly terminus in Wildwood to a logical and appropriate terminus as determined by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). to our social media pages andnewsroom. Nothing!. "The only thing we have is our voice," commission Vice Chairman Craig Curry said at one point in the discussion, which including public comment lasted more than two hours. Thats how we wound up with approximately 437 sequels, remakes, and reboots with titles like Halloween 29: Michael Myers vs. the Lord of the Dance.. One man in Albrittons rural district promised his whole family would vote for his reelection as long as the commissioner paved the red clay road in front of his house, so he did. The routes are unlikely to meet the requirement that tolls generated by traffic flow fund 50 percent of debt service at the 12th year of operation. We cover state government and politics with a staff of five journalists located at the Florida Press Center in downtown Tallahassee. Two major developments have been approved on CR 318: the WEC Jockey Club and the Sunny Oaks development. Talk to others. We know we need to do something, he said. DEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy. The 'North A' route would cut Levy County into two parts. The new Northern Turnpike Extension study has identified four possible corridors for a four-lane toll road and identified them with colored lines on a map. This new 49th Street will also meander eastward, curving to become NW 35th Street and ending at NE 58th Avenue. I am talking about the Northern Turnpike Extension, which is supposed to branch off from the Florida Turnpike in Wildwood and head north toward some as-yet-unnamed terminus. 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