Northern Turnpike Connector

Saving Special Places • Building Better Communities

Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter Counties

2023 Update

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 recommendations closely follow what 1000 Friends advocated from day one: make identified improvements to I-75 to alleviate major traffic concerns in the region; undertake a formal determination of need for the Northern Turnpike segment before moving forward; and place a far greater emphasis on protecting natural and cultural resources from impacts.

The FDOT report concludes:

“Improvements to I-75 are a critical component to the success of any northern extension of the Turnpike Mainline. Therefore, this study’s evaluation was completed without making a specific recommendation of a corridor for continuation to the Project Development and Environment, or PD&E, phase. As the prioritized improvements to I-75 progress, this study’s recommendation is for FDOT to initiate a regional study of need and include an emphasis on complementing I-75 and other regional transportation improvements within the study area. As we continue to refine and develop viable corridor concepts for this area, such as I-75, future expansions of Florida’s Turnpike, and other regionally significant projects, we will prioritize engagement to avoid communities and other resources that have substantial cultural, historic, or other significance. The goal of every project is to ensure all needs are met, environmental concerns are addressed, and community characteristics are protected.”

Thank you for all that you have done to support this! We will continue to post any updates here as necessary. See below for a more detailed chronology.

Northern Turnpike Extension Background

SB 7068 — Under the provisions of SB 7068, in 2019 the Florida Legislature called for creation of a 330-mile system of tolled roads extending from Collier County to the Georgia border. The Northern Turnpike Connector was to extend southeast from the Suncoast Connector to the northern terminus of the Florida Turnpike encompassing Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter Counties. In addition to general task force responsibilities outlined in SB 7068, the legislation also specified that the Northern Turnpike Connector Corridor Task Force was to:

“…evaluate design features and the need for acquisition of state conservation lands that mitigate the impacts of project construction within the respective corridors on:

The water quality and quantity of springs, rivers, and aquifer recharge areas;
Agricultural land uses;
Wildlife habitat.”

Northern Turnpike Connector Task Force — On August 1, 2019, FDOT established the Northern Turnpike Connector Task Force. Florida Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Tom Byron chaired the task force with Florida Turnpike Director Christina Colon serving as co-chair, and President Paul Owens represented 1000 Friends of Florida. Also involved in the process were representatives of the Tampa Bay, East Central, North Central and Apalachee Regional Planning Councils (RPCs), the Suwannee River, Southwest Florida and St. John’s River Water Management Districts (WMDs), the Hernando/Citrus, Ocala/Marion and Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), representatives of the three counties, impacted municipalities and others.

Northern Turnpike Corridor Resources:

FDOT:
Northern Turnpike Development Status Report to the Governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House (FDOT, December 2022)
Northern Turnpike Extension Exhibit Room (FTE webpage)
Featured Projects on Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE webpage)
Lists by County of Northern Corridor Turnpike Projects (FTE webpage)
Final M-CORES Northern Turnpike Task Force Report (FDOT)

1000 Friends of Florida:
Northern Turnpike Corridor Citizen Primer (1000 Friends of Florida)
Northern Turnpike Corridor Natural Resources (1000 Friends of Florida)
Transportation Policy, Planning and Implementation in Florida (1000 Friends of Florida, 2022)
Citizen Primer: Northern Turnpike Connector (1000 Friends of Florida)
1000 Friends of Florida December 2021 Comment Letter on Proposed Northern Turnpike Extension
1000 Friends’ December 2021 Alert on Proposed Extension

Other Resources:
Defenders of Wildlife GIS Map of Northern Turnpike Alternatives

Northern Turnpike Citizen Primer

The task force participated in a series of meetings through 2019 and 2020, which culminated in a formal Task Force report. 1000 Friends provided extensive input throughout the process, but ultimately declined to sign on to the final report because it did not establish the need for and financial feasibility of the project, nor did it sufficiently protect significant natural and cultural resources or community character.

1000 Friends further advocated that FDOT implement the 2016 I-75 Relief Study which identified the top priority of “optimization and transformation of I-75 through a long-term buildout plan to meet future statewide and regional mobility needs” rather than the construction of new highways.

SB 100 — Due to major concerns raised by 1000 Friends and others, in 2021 the Florida Legislature passed SB 100, which basically terminated the overall M-CORES project. Pursuant to SB 100, however, the Florida Department of Transportation continued planning for the Northern Turnpike Extension segment of M-CORES through Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties, evaluating four alternative corridors. The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) process, which requires a no-build option, was launched. FDOT was then required to report its recommendations to the Florida Legislature. Concerned citizens, municipalities, counties, and even the Southwest Florida Water Management District weighed in with concerns about impacts to springsheds, agriculture, natural resources, and the rural quality of life.

Recommendation for Project Suspension — Advocates continued to raise significant concerns about the project, with several city and county commissions that would have been impacted voting to oppose the project in their communities. 1000 Friends of Florida Intern Meghan Gilmore, Policy and Planning Director Jane West and Outreach Director Haley Busch partnered with Community of Royal activist Beverly Steele to offer planning guidance to this historic rural African-American community in Sumter County, helping to raise the issue to a national audience. All four proposed corridors for the Northern Turnpike Extension would have bisected Royal.

On August 4, 2022, FDOT announced it was suspending planning for the corridor: “The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has completed the Alternative Corridors Evaluation (ACE) Study for the Northern Turnpike Corridor without recommending a specific corridor and will not pursue the project any further until options can be reassessed to address concerns of the Department and the community.” These corridors would have cut through some of Florida’s finest agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, and vulnerable springsheds in Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties.

As required under SB 100, in December 2022 FDOT submitted its Project Development Status Report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report stated, “In the near term, to help address regional and statewide transportation needs, the Department is dedicating resources to prioritize improvements on the Interstate 75 corridor. Much of the feedback received from local communities during the ACE study recommended reviewing and prioritizing solutions for the I-75 corridor as part of the overall process.”

As noted earlier, the FDOT report concludes:

“Improvements to I-75 are a critical component to the success of any northern extension of the Turnpike Mainline. Therefore, this study’s evaluation was completed without making a specific recommendation of a corridor for continuation to the Project Development and Environment, or PD&E, phase. As the prioritized improvements to I-75 progress, this study’s recommendation is for FDOT to initiate a regional study of need and include an emphasis on complementing I-75 and other regional transportation improvements within the study area. As we continue to refine and develop viable corridor concepts for this area, such as I-75, future expansions of Florida’s Turnpike, and other regionally significant projects, we will prioritize engagement to avoid communities and other resources that have substantial cultural, historic, or other significance. The goal of every project is to ensure all needs are met, environmental concerns are addressed, and community characteristics are protected.”

We will continue to monitor this project and keep you updated.