Project Name: Northern Turnpike Connector
Project Website: https://floridamcores.com/northern-turnpike-connector-task-force/
Impacted Counties: Citrus, Levy, Marion, Sumter
Condemning Authority: FDOT
The Northern Turnpike Connector Corridor Study has begun. The route for this project is expected to be 40 miles long. Property acquisition is tentatively scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2021.
On May 17, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 7068, creating the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) Program within the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in order to study the feasibility of three different regional corridors: The Suncoast Connector, The Northern Turnpike Connector, and The Southwest-Central Florida Connector. The three roads combined would be approximately 330 miles long.
The stated objective is to advance the construction of regional corridors that are intended to accommodate multiple modes of transportation and multiple types of infrastructure. This would include toll roads, trails, freight and passenger rail, and public transit; and multiple types of infrastructure, such as broadband, water and sewer services. FDOT is expected to perform a project evaluation, including a full Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study.
FDOT convened separate task forces to study each corridor. The first meeting was held on August 27, 2019 at the Tampa Convention Center. The task forces will make recommendations regarding the potential economic and environmental impacts of the corridor and other factors as specified in the M-CORES legislation. Each task force was initially expected to issue a final report by October 1, 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the task forces have been given an extension through November 15, 2020 to complete their final reports. Project design is scheduled to begin immediately after the task forces issue their reports. FDOT will perform a project evaluation according to its own rules, policies, and procedures.
If feasible, construction is expected to begin no later than December 31, 2022.
While no route has been finalized, an option to located the proposed road along existing corridors has been released.
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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all in-person task force meetings and community open houses have been postponed. The FDOT is conducting webinars to present information to the Task Force and public.
Webinar #4 – June 25, 2020
Task force meeting video 08/27/2019
Task force meeting video 10/22/2019 part 1
Task force meeting video 10/22/2019 part 2
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