Project Name: Northern Turnpike Connector
Project Website: http://floridamcores.com/
Impacted Counties: Citrus, Levy, Marion, Sumter
Condemning Authority: FDOT
The Northern Turnpike Connector Corridor Study has begun. Routes could be chosen as early as January 2020. The route for this project is expected to be 40 miles long.
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 is expected to issue a final report by October 1, 2020. 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.
Task Force Meeting #3 – December 18, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Hilton Ocala, 3600 SW 36th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474.
Community Open House – December 19, 2019, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Wildwood Community Center, 6500 County Road 139, Wildwood, FL 34785.
Community Workshops – January-February 2020
Task Force Meeting #4 – February 2020 (Date, time and location TBD -announced via press release 11/8/2019).
Task Force Meeting #5 – March 2020 in Levy County. Date, time, and location TBD.
Community Open House – March 2020 in Marion County. Date, time, and location TBD.
Task Force Meeting #6 – April 2020 (Date, time and location TBD -announced via press release 11/8/2019).
Community Workshops – April-May 2020
Task Force Meeting #7 – June 2020 in Sumter County. Date, time, and location TBD.
Community Open House – June 2020 in Citrus County. Date, time, and location TBD.
Florida Transportation Commission Presentation – July 2020
Task Force Meeting #8 – August 2020 in Levy County. Date, time, and location TBD.
Task Force Meeting #9 – September 2020 in Marion County. Date, time, and location TBD.
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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Toll road routes could emerge in early 2020
Extension of Florida Turnpike will have profound impact on Sumter County
DeSantis approved these toll roads
Roads taking a toll on task force members as some struggle to understand need, origination
Task forces will get more scrutiny over toll roads
$90 million proposed M-Cores budget not guaranteed
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