Northern Turnpike Extension? Not Again!
No Roads to Ruin Coalition Steering Committee Statement
TALLAHASSEE, FL — The No Roads to Ruin Coalition Steering Committee released the following statement today in advance of the first of the first of several kick-off events organized by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to promote yet another ruinous toll road:
Although Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) was technically repealed by SB 100 last legislative session, not all of the threats were vanquished — chief among them the proposed Northern Turnpike Extension.
This Northern Turnpike Extension was a disastrous idea when it was proposed in 2019 under the M-CORES banner, and it remains so today.
If built, this extension would destroy large swaths of Florida's last remaining rural lands, threaten waterways with pollution, endanger iconic wildlife, disrupt farmlands, and promote unsustainable sprawl. It is no surprise that of nearly 10,000 comments submitted to FDOT regarding proposed M-CORES toll routes, 93% were opposed.
FDOT's current approach to SB 100, per its outward-facing website and informational materials, has been to completely ignore (1) the overwhelming public opposition, (2) the M-CORES Northern Turnpike Corridor Task Force’s failure to find any need for a northern extension of the turnpike, (3) the M-CORES Northern Turnpike Corridor Task Force’s findings on the fragility of the region’s environmental and agricultural resources, (4) the fact that "No Build" is one of the possible alternatives, and (5) the reality that this folly is wasting, once again, precious Florida taxpayer dollars.
Florida's remaining natural areas are worth more than the sum of their parts. Residents in counties like Citrus, Levy, Marion, and Sumter know that when we start paving over our rural heritage and wild places, there is no turning back.
FDOT must heed the call of community members impacted by this extension, follow the guidance of the M-CORES task force, and determine that No Build is the only sensible alternative.
No Roads to Ruin Steering Committee:
Background:
In 2019, the Florida state legislature passed SB 7068 to authorize the design and construction of 330 miles of new toll roads through the heart of rural Florida. The bill creating the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 17, 2019, despite a veto request from over 90 organizations and businesses from across Florida.
The No Roads to Ruin Coalition, devoted to stopping the unneeded and costly plan, was launched in August 2019 and is now 115 organizations and businesses strong. While M-CORES was technically repealed in 2021 with SB 100, not all of the threats were vanquished. The coalition's position on the proposed Northern Turnpike Extension remains "No Build."
Contacts:
Michael McGrath, michael.mcgrath@sierraclub.org, (386) 341-4708
Ryan Smart, smart@floridaspringscouncil.org, (561) 358-7191