UPDATE: SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road-Widening

UPDATE: SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road-Widening

Four-Lane Widening of SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Approved

At the Marion County Commission meeting on Tuesday, December 7th, the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) was approved for the 10.5-mile segment of SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue. This road will be widened to four lanes, starting at SW 90th Avenue to 0.5 miles north of US Hwy 27. Funding for design of phased portions of the corridor is available in the current budget. The road project is divided into three sections for construction, but only two of the three sections are funded.

Paul Wildman, P.E., from Guerra Development Group presented the PER, a 900-page document with detailed maps and conceptual designs of the proposed road. The PER report is the first phase. The next three phases are: design, right of way acquisition, and construction.

Alignments

Two different roadway alignments, A and B, were presented for approval. The County Commission voted to approve Alignment A.

Alignment A consists of reducing the amount of impacts and meanders through the corridor,” said Wildman. “The other option is Alternate B, which takes a centerline approach and the need for right of way and improvements is along both sides of the corridor,” he said.

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Alignment A also received more support from the public meeting comments. It avoids impacts to the cemetery and costs less to construct.

 

Designs

The County Commission also selected Major Typical Section 2 as the preferred design of the road. This design is 120 feet wide and includes a bike lane adjacent to the travel way, a sidewalk on the east side, and a multi-use path on the west side of the road.

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Special Case Scenarios

In addition to the Major Typical Sections, there were several “special case scenarios” identified in the report as Minor Typical Sections. The section of the road near On Top of the World (OTOW) is one example because a multiuse path already exits. An agreement will be negotiated with OTOW to utilize this existing path instead of building a new path.

County Commissioner Stone also requested berms be built to address the traffic noise and to help block the view of the traffic. This will also be considered during the design phase of the road.

The improvements of the intersection at NW 41st Place Road are also in the concept design phase. One option is to include an extra long turn lane and improve the intersection to allow for U-Turns. Other design concepts include a frontage road, or to connect NW 41st Place Road to SW 52nd Street. The intersection improvements will allow horse trailers and large recreational vehicles to safely change direction on the road. The final design will be brought back to the County Commission for approval.

Intersection Improvements

The traffic report shows the need to improve seven major intersections for safety. The following intersections are recommended to be improved through the 2045 design year:

  • SW 80th Avenue at SW 90th Street- Additional turn lanes and signal updates.
  • SW 80th Avenue at SW 80th Street- Additional turn lanes and signal updates.
  • SW 80th Avenue at SW 63rd Street Road- New Signal and additional turn Lanes.
  • SW 80th Avenue at SW 38th Street- Additional turn lanes and signal updates.
  • SR 40 at NW/SW 80th Avenue- Additional turn lanes and signal updates.
  • NW 80th Avenue at NW 21st Street – New Signal and additional turn Lanes.
  • US 27 at CR 225A- Additional turn lanes and signal updates.

Other Issues

The report also addressed several issues such as number of residences affected, feasibility of design/permitting, costs, environmental impacts such as wetlands and protected species, cultural/archaeological factors including a local cemetery, and infrastructure flexibility to meet future needs.

The report includes feedback from major stakeholders, government agencies, the County Commission, the County Engineer, and the public. Two meetings were held at Westport High School to take public comment on the road in July 2021. Guerra provided responses to all of the public comments submitted.

Three Sections

  • Segment 1: From SW 90th to just north of Westport High School is funded and construction is expected to start within the next three years.
  • Segment 2: Just north of Westport High School to south of SR 40, but this section is not funded and funding is not anticipated for at least 5 years.
  • Segment 3: Just north of SR 40 to US 27 is funded and construction will start within the next three to five years.

In addition, two new intersection improvements at SR 40 and US Hwy 27 are funded. The intersection at SR 40 will likely to go to construction next year. The intersection at US Hwy 27 is under construction now. (See update below about the US Hwy 27 intersection).

The full PER can be viewed at the following link: https://bcc.marioncountyfl.org/Full_Preliminary%20Engineering%20Report_SW%20NW%2080th%2070th%20Ave_Nov%202021.pdf

The SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue road-widening project was approved in 2018 as part of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is a five-year schedule of transportation projects proposed by government agencies and other stakeholders in Marion County. https://ocalamariontpo.org/plans-and-programs/transportation-improvement-program-tip/

Updates on US Hwy 27 And The New Road/Interchange at NW 49th Street

Aerial view of the parcel# 13561-004-00. This is where the four-laning will end and the new road at NW 49th Street will meet 225A. Expand Photo

1. When will the extension North of US Hwy 27 be completed?

NW 70th Ave/CR 225A and US Hwy 27: The improvements to the intersection at NW 70th Ave/CR 225A and US Hwy 27 is the first road improvement project for SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue and it is currently under construction by Marion County. The estimated horizon for completion is mid March 2022. However, the completion date may extend to April 2022.

The road will be converted to a four-lane divided roadway that extends approximately 600 feet on both sides of US 27. The road improvements include turn-lanes, bike lanes, curb and gutter, concrete sidewalks, shared use path, medians, storm drainage, drainage retention areas, traffic markings and signals, ditches, berms, driveways, water mains, and sanitary sewer mains.

As part of Section 3 in the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening project, CR 225A will be four-laned from the US Hwy 27 intersection improvements to the new road, NW 49th Street, that will connect CR 225A to the new I-75 Intersection. Section 3 is currently under design. This Section is funded and construction will start within the next three to five years.

The four-laning of CR 225A will end at about NW 44th Lane. The parcel number where the four-laning will end is 13561-004-00.

2. When will the new interchange at I-75 will be built?

New I-75 Interchange at NW 49th Street/NW 35th Street: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is building the new interchange at NW 49th Street/NW 35th Street. According to the FDOT website, the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study was completed in March 2021 and the project is currently in the design phase. The FDOT Design Project Manager is Megan Owens and the Design Firm is Metric Engineering.

Construction is anticipated to begin in December of 2024. The cost of the project is approximately $41 million for construction. The estimated time frame for completion is 1 to 3 years. Link to the PD&E study and a comment form to send comments to FDOT: https://www.cflroads.com/project/435209-1

This interchange will extend from the NW 35th Street extension, which Marion County is constructing, to the Amazon warehouse. The new street will go through the mining operation. The interchange will go over I-75, via a bridge, from NW 35th Street on the east side and it will tie into the existing NW 49th Street on the west side of I-75. This is a Diverging Diamond Interchange configuration. There will be a brand new intersection built at NW 49th Street and NW 44th Ave. Traffic will have access to NW 44th Ave, which runs parallel to I-75 and connects to US Hwy 27 and Hwy 326

3. When will the road that connects CR 225A to I-75 be built?

NW 49th Street: Connects CR 225A to new I-75 Interchange at NW 49th Street: The connection of CR 225A to the interchange at NW 49th Street will be built in two sections: 3A and 3B. Both sections are funded for design. Section 3A is funded for construction in fiscal year 2020/2021. Section 3B is funded for construction in 2022/2023.

The general rule of thumb for road construction projects is that the design phase is one year. The next phase is to acquire the right of way, which takes up to one year or more and the final phase is construction, which is one year or less. Sometimes the right of way acquisition and construction overlap.

Section 3A: The design for Section 3A has been started and the construction is funded for fiscal year 2020/2021, which began on October 1, 2021. The cost for the 1.1-mile section of the two-lane road is $2,000,000.

3A runs from a location point which is located 1.1 miles west of NW 44th Avenue to NW 44th Avenue. Deputy County Engineer Don Atwell is the Project Manager for Section 3A. See item number C5 on the 2020/2021 – 2024/2025 Marion County Transportation Improvement Program
https://www.marionfl.org/home/showpublisheddocument/20890/637245315041870000

Section 3B: The design for Section 3B has not been started. The right of way acquisition is funded for fiscal year 2021/2022 at a cost of $780,000 and construction is funded for fiscal year 2022/2023 at a cost of $4,450,000.

3B starts at CR 225A and ends at the beginning of Section 3A at the location point 1.1 miles west of NW 44th Avenue. See item number C10 on the 2021/2022 – 2025/2026 Marion County Transportation Improvement Program. https://www.marionfl.org/home/showpublisheddocument/22134/637605811040870000

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Road Widening Public Hearing Stresses the Need for Public Input

Road Widening Public Hearing Stresses the Need for Public Input

Final Comments Due August 2nd

Over 200 people attended the workshops on July 14 and 15 about the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue road-widening project. Marion County’s Deputy County Engineer, Donald Atwell and representatives from Guerra Development Corporation presented several options for the proposed improvements, which include expanding the current roadway to a four-lane road with bike lanes, pedestrian walks, and a grass median.

Wednesday’s meeting focused on the road improvements that are south of SR 40. Thursday’s meeting focused on the road improvements north of SR 40.

Deputy County Engineer Atwell emphasized the importance of submitting formally written comments so that suggested changes could be considered for the road’s design. “This is the time to make a comment, whether you like the project or not,” said Deputy County Engineer Atwell. The deadline for comments is August 2nd and they must be submitted on the Comment Form and sent via email, or mail to the address on the Comment Form.

Paul Wildman, P.E., for Guerra Development Corporation, made the presentation about the road improvements. The road improvements start at SW 90th Street and end about .5 mile north of US 27 on CR 225A. The total length is about 10.5 miles. It will be expanded to a 120’ divided four-lane roadway with options for pedestrian use paths. Alternative A is the recommended design. The road improvements are funded by the Penny Sales Tax funds that are administered by Marion County.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center, and several existing and planned large residential developments, the road improvements are needed. Traffic is projected to increase to 37,500 trips per day. The additional capacity will help maintain the level of service and increase the safety of the road for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

A new road is also planned to connect CR 225A to the new interchange being built by the Florida Department of Transportation at NW 49th Street.

Three Sections

The road project will be divided into three sections, but only two of the three sections are funded.

  • Segment 1: From SW 90th to just north of Westport High School is funded and construction is expected to start within the next three years.
  • Segment 2: Just north of Westport High School to south of SR 40, but this section is not funded and funding is not anticipated for at least 5 years.
  • Segment 3: Just north of SR 40 to US 27 is funded and construction will start within the next three to five years.
  • In addition, two new intersection improvements at SR 40 and US 27 are funded. The intersection at SR 40 is likely to go to construction this year. The intersection at US 27 will go to construction any day now.

Questions From the Floor

After the presentation several residents asked questions, which are summarized below:

QUESTION: Why not use 60th, which is already a four lane road?

ANSWER: Both roads are needed. The traffic study looked out 20 years at a 2045 horizon and determined that the road will have to be four-laned. All of the new the development is occurring on NW/SW 80th Avenue and if the road is left as a two-lane road, the level of service will go down significantly. There is a lot of active development along the corridor – Stone Creek, Bay Laurel, Calesa, World Equestrian Center, and On Top of the World.

The SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue is a corridor and this is part of the long-range transportation plan. Marion County will need to have more than 60th Avenue as a four-lane road. There will be additional projects around this to accommodate the traffic. It’s better to build the project before it’s too late. It’s far better to do it now.

QUESTION: What will be done to address the noise and safety?

ANSWER: Noise barriers are not standard for this type of road, but Guerra will submit this question to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration. This would be a change in policy. There are valid concerns about the intersection at SW 38th Street. Marion County Commissioner Michelle Stone has requested that this intersection be evaluated to address the safety and access issues.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

  • Can you combine Alternative A and Alternative B and make the road oscillate more instead of just one Alternative?
  • Could you remove one of the 14’ multi use paths and only have one 14’ multi use path on one side of the road? This will decrease the total width of the road.

Dig Deeper:

This is the time to make a comment, whether you like the project or not.

Donald Atwell

Deputy County Engineer, Marion County

Fill Out The Comment Form

Please submit comments or questions by August 2. It’s easy! Just fill out the Comment Form online, save it as a PDF, and email it to: GDCPER@guerracorp.net

You can either email it to the address above or mail the printed form it to: Paul Wildman, P.E., Guerra Development Corp. 2817 NE 3rd Street, Ocala, FL 34470.

After these two meetings, another workshop will be scheduled with the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.

Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

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Public Input Requested on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

Public Input Requested on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

The public is invited to provide input on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue road widening project at two meetings hosted by Guerra Development Corporation.

The meetings will be held on Wednesday, July 14 and Thursday, July 15 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Westport High School Auditorium. Horse Farms Forever staff will attend and report on the outcomes.

Engineers from Guerra Development Corporation will present information about the road widening project in two separate meetings. The first meeting on July 14 will focus on the road improvements located south of SR 40. The second meeting on July 15 will be focused on the section of the road north of SR 40.

The proposed improvements include expanding the current roadway to a four-lane road with bike lanes, pedestrian walks, and a grass median.

The goal of the meetings is to obtain public feedback about the improvements. After the presentation, there will be a breakout question and answer session. Written comments are preferred, and comment forms will be provided at the meeting.

Fill Out The Comment Form

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can fill out the Comment Form online and email it to: GDCPER@guerracorp.net

Fill out the Comment Form online, save it as a PDF, and then email it to the address above or mail the printed form it to: Paul Wildman, P.E., Guerra Development Corp. 2817 NE 3rd Street, Ocala, FL 34470)

After these two meetings, another workshop will be scheduled with the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Update on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

Update on the SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue Road Widening

At the Marion County Commission Workshop on June 7th, Juan Guerra, Owner of Guerra Development Corporation, presented the Preliminary Engineering Report (P.E.R.) for SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center, and the new Calesa Township being built at On Top of the World Communities Ocala, the traffic on SW/NW 80th/70th Avenue will more than double. That’s an increase from about 14,600 to 37,500 vehicles per day. To accommodate this traffic and make it safer for cars, pedestrians and bicyclists, the road will be widened into a divided four-lane roadway with a median, sidewalks, bike paths and a separate multiuse asphalt path.

A Look at the Area

The road improvement project is 10.5 miles long and extends from just north of SR 200 to about one quarter to one half-mile north of US 27. Due to the existing businesses, houses, and Westport High School, the width and design of the road will be modified to accommodate the existing uses. Most of the road widening will occur on the west side of the existing road. At the widest point, the road and multiuse paths will be 120’. The multiuse paths vary from 10’ to 14’ wide and they also include a designated bike path. Other potential sections of the road will be 100’ with a 5’ sidewalk and 4’ bike lane next to the 12’ travel lane for cars. The designs presented were preliminary designs and the road will be approved after further input is received.

Three Phases – Ten Years

There are three main segments to the road construction project. It is estimated that it will take 10 years to complete. The intersections at US 27 and SR 40 will be the first segments to be completed. There is a preconstruction meeting for the intersection at US 27 that will be held sometime this month.

The Workshop was an opportunity to receive feedback from the Commissioners about the road improvements. Several Commissioners expressed concerns about saving the tree canopy and the legacy trees. Mr. Guerra said that every effort would be made to save as many trees as possible and to protect the character of the road. The multiuse path will be “meandered” to make the path more appealing and to help save the trees.

Because it was a Commission Workshop, there were no public comments. However, a community meeting will be scheduled soon for the public to provide input and comments. Keep an eye on the Calendar for updates.

Send comments to: roads@marionfl.org
For more information, contact Pat Russett at 352-671-8686.

Busy Shires

What About Zoning?

The Zoning regulations are found in the Land Development Code, which is a separate document with specific guidelines to implement the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning regulates development through land use classifications and specifies the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place. The Land Development Code was adopted through a series of ordinances by the County Commission, which means that the regulations cannot be changed or waived, except by a further vote of the County Commission.

Engineering Report

The full report is available on Marion County’s website. To go there, click on the image or the button below:

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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UPDATE: Five Major Road Widening and Intersection Improvements

UPDATE: Five Major Road Widening and Intersection Improvements

Using Marion County’s Interactive Map, we’ve roughed in the project areas (turquoise blue). As you can see, they are within the Urban Growth Boundary and outside of the Farmland Preservation Area.

by Busy Shires
April 27, 2021

Did you notice all the extra traffic and snow birds this winter in Ocala? To accommodate for the increase in traffic – from cars, to horse trailers and big trucks – there are five major road projects in Marion County. These road projects will make the roads safer for people and horses around the World Equestrian Center and they will help the big trucks gain better access to I-75. The good news is that all five projects are located outside of the Farmland Preservation Area.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center (WEC), Marion County is becoming the epicenter for horse owners seeking the warmth of a Florida winter to train and show their horses. During this winter’s show season, over 2,000 horses showed at WEC! That’s in addition to the nearly 80,000 horses that already call Marion County home.

Marion County’s distribution industry is also booming. Over the next five years, an additional 5 million square feet of industrial and warehouse space will be built to accommodate several new distribution centers. This square footage is in addition to the existing Fed Ex, Chewy’s, Amazon, AutoZone, and Dollar Tree distribution centers. The central location of Ocala with easy access to Jacksonville and Tampa via I-75 has made the area an ideal distribution hub.

One of the largest road projects is a new interchange on the east side of I-75 at NW 49th St/NW 35th St. This new interchange will travel over I-75 to connect into the existing road at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. on the west side. A new intersection will also be built at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. From this new intersection, a new two-lane road will be built to connect to CR 225A north of the intersection at US 27.

In addition, NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. will be four-laned from SW 80th St. to 600 feet North of US 27. The intersections at each end of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. at US Hwy 27 and Hwy 40 will be improved with turn lanes. Also, 600 feet on both the north side of US 27 and the south side of Hwy. 40 will also be four-laned.

CR 225A will remain a two-lane road from the 600-foot intersection improvement at US 27 to the proposed road that connects CR 225A to NW 44th Ave. There are no additional plans to four-lane CR 225A further north of the new road at NW 44th Ave.

The Drop Down Links Below Provide More Detail On Each of the Five Projects:

1. NW 70th Ave./CR 225 A and US 27

The improvement of the intersection at NW 70th Ave./CR 225 A and US 27 is the first project. The long-term goal is to improve both of the intersections at the north and south ends of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. The north section is located at US Hwy. 27 and NW 70th Ave./CR 225A and the south section is located at Hwy. 40 and NW 80th Ave.

The intersection improvements extend approximately 600 feet on both sides of US 27. The map shows the location of the improvements, the intersection “approaches” and the Drainage Retention Areas (DRAs) north and south of US 27.

This project is funded by Marion County for a cost of approximately $4.7 million. Guerra Development Corp. is the design engineer and Commercial Industrial Corporation is the contractor.

This project is about to schedule a pre-construction meeting. The recent pre-construction meeting was cancelled until further notice. At the pre-construction meeting, all the interested parties meet to discuss the start date. After this meeting, the County’s Procurement Department will issue a Notice to Proceed for construction.

Other than the 600 feet included in the intersection improvements, this road will not be four-laned further north. There are also no additional plans to four-lane CR 225A further north of the new road at NW 44th Ave. This section of CR 225A is not located in the Farmland Preservation Area.

2. NW 80th Ave. and Hwy. 40

This project will consist of improving the intersection and approaches at Hwy. 40 and NW 80th Ave. The design of this intersection improvement will be similar to the intersection improvements at NW 70th Ave./CR 225A and US 27, but they are not complete; thereby no plans are available for viewing.

3. Four-Lane of NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave.

NW 70th Ave./NW 80th Ave. will be four-laned from SW 80th St. to 600 feet North of US 27. This project is in the design/survey phase and is predicted to start in 2023 or 2024.

4. New I-75 Interchange at NW 49th St./NW 35th St.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is building this new interchange. Steven Buck is the Project Manager at FDOT. This interchange will extend from the NW 35th St. extension that Marion County is constructing, which ends at the Amazon warehouse. The new street will go through the mining operation. This new FDOT interchange will go over I-75, via a bridge, from NW 35th St. on the east side and it will tie into the existing NW 49th St. on the west side of I-75.

This is a diverging diamond interchange configuration. Marion County has requested that the interchange include design features that will help the County further define it’s identity as the Horse Capital of the World® such as live oak “canopy” trees rather than palm trees for landscaping and three-board fencing rather than chain link fencing around the retention areas. These design features will help the interchange serve as a gateway into the area.

On the west side of I-75, a new intersection at NW 49th St. and NW 44th Ave. will be built. Traffic will have access to NW 44th Ave., which runs parallel to I-75 and connects to US 27 and Hwy. 326.

The project is in the design phase and it is fully funded for all phases (design, right of way and construction.) Construction is anticipated to begin in December of 2024. The cost of the project is approximately $40 million for construction.

5. Future Connection of CR 225A to NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave.

This road project is funded by Marion County. The connection of CR 225A to the new intersection at NW 49th St./NW 44th Ave. is under design. A preliminary engineering report presenting various options was developed by Guerra Development Corp. and accepted by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners during 2010.

Funding of eventual construction is planned to take place at two intervals:

  1. NW 49th St. (1.1 mi west of NW 44th Ave. to NW 44th Ave.), Phase 3A for FY 2020/21, length = 1.1 miles.
  2. NW 49th St. (CR 225A to 1.1 mi west of NW 44th Ave.), Phase 3B for FY 2022/23, length = 2.3 miles.

This video rendering from the FDOT illustrates how a diverging diamond intersection works.

Learn More

This is the most up to date information obtained from the Marion County Engineering Department and the Florida Department of Transportation. However, all schedules are subject to change, based upon funding. Marion County’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is updated yearly.

Florida Department of Transportation – District 5 HQ (Deland) – 386-943-5171

Ocala/Marion TPO (Transportation & Planning Organization) – 352-438-2630

Marion County Office of the County Engineer  – 352-671-8686

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We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Horse Farms Forever Neutral on Proposed Alternative Routes for the Northern Turnpike Extension

Horse Farms Forever Neutral on Proposed Alternative Routes for the Northern Turnpike Extension

Florida’s population is growing and with that growth, the state’s transportation systems will also need to grow. Therefore, it makes sense for the Florida Department of Transportation to conduct feasibility studies of potential routes for these future transportation needs, including the Northern Turnpike Extension.    

The Horse Farms Forever position on transportation is clear and consistent.

  • Any new road projects within the Farmland Preservation Area should use existing rights-of-way. This position aligns with Marion County’s Comprehensive Plan Policy 3.3.1 Elements of Rural Character which states: “Transportation: New transportation corridors intended to be used specifically for the construction of expressways or limited access roadways shall avoid the Farmland Preservation Area…”
  • HFF did not oppose the Coastal Connector Tollway. Instead, what we opposed were the routes through the heart of the most prime Marion County horse farms and especially the Farmland Preservation Area. Our goal was to help the leadership of the FDOT understand the impact of their proposed routes. Once provided with the facts, they had the good judgment to abandon those proposed routes. 

The proposed alternative routes for the Northern Turnpike Extension avoid the Farmland Preservation Area and prime Marion County horse farms. Thus, at this time, Horse Farms Forever takes a neutral position on the proposed alternatives to the northern extension of the turnpike.

In our watchdog role, HFF continues to closely monitor the situation to assure there are no detrimental impacts to the Farmland Preservation Area. In addition, we are interacting with the FDOT on a regular basis to better understand the project.

The mission of Horse Farms Forever is to inspire conservation of horse farms through education, awareness and idea exchange so as to preserve the character and culture that horses and the Farmland Preservation Area make unique to Marion County. We are watchful of government and others to preserve horse farms and farmland for future generations, especially in the Farmland Preservation Area. We are neither anti-growth nor anti-development, rather encouraging urban growth to remain inside the Urban Growth Boundary.

Horse Farms Forever is registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a charitable organization and approved as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. Horse Farms Forever does not have a political mission. Our status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization does not allow us to participate or intervene in political activities. The organization will neither advocate on behalf of political candidates nor advocate for the passage of legislation.

Date: December 7, 2021
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Place: College of Central Florida
Levy Campus, 15390 US-19
Chiefland, FL 32626

Date: December 9, 2021
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Place: College of Central Florida Citrus Campus
3800 S Lecanto Highway
Lecanto, FL 34461