November 18, 2022

WHIPLASH ANYONE?  At the November 14 Horse Farms Forever Conservation Summit, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue said work on the proposed turnpike extension will start up again in the “next year or so.”

To completely ignore what communities said loudly and clearly, and to return to a LOSING PROPOSITION at the expense of Florida taxpayers so soon after a “no viable corridor” decision was reached, is outrageous and unforgivable.

But the truth is his remarks were not a huge surprise.  We knew the extension idea would be revived sooner or later, and that is why we committed ourselves to being ready to kill it again when it does.  Our statewide team of thousands of activists and hundreds of businesses and organizations isn’t going anywhere except right back into the fight.

OUR NEXT MOVE

Soon after the Thanksgiving holiday, we will be asking you to help get as many businesses, organizations, and elected officials signed on to a simple but strongly worded letter reiterating the fact that there is absolutely no interest in or need for a Northern Turnpike Extension. This letter will include the comment count data (more on that below) and links to all of the business letters and local “No Build” resolutions.  The letter will be sent to every FL legislator, the Governor, and Secretary Perdue himself just before or right after FDOT transmits its NTE Status Report before the end of the year.

Please be on the lookout for the sign-on letter email from me on or before Friday, December 2.  Our deadline for signatures will likely be December 15, so we will have to make quick work of it.

THE GREAT NTE COMMENT COUNT IS DONE

What is the opposite of whopping? Teeny?  Tiny?  Miniscule?  Think smallest of small, as close to zero as you might get when gathering opinions:  Of the public comments submitted to FDOT regarding the Northern Turnpike Extension, ONLY 1.2% (a mere 35) were in favor of any of the proposed routes.

THE VIRTUAL December 1 FDOT public meeting for the tentative 5 year work plan for District Two may be of interest to activists in Levy County.  If you attend, please let us know what you hear (or don’t hear).

NEVER STOP reminding your local electeds that NRTR voters sent unfriendly candidates packing!  Keep these election results where “No Build” candidates won the day handy.

NRTR news clips

All of the clips can be found at https://noroadstoruin.org/news-coverage/
In the face of determined opposition from environmentalists and other entities, the FDOT announced in August it was pumping the brakes on four proposed routes that would extend Florida’s Turnpike from its terminus at Interstate 75 in Wildwood northwest to U.S. 19 in Levy County. Instead, the agency would focus on improving Interstate 75.  Work on the proposed extension, Perdue said, will start up again in the “next year or so” with the agency re-engaging the potentially affected communities.
Some local residents complained here Monday that the state’s unique environment, especially its horse country, was taking a backseat to economic development issues at a conservation summit hosted by Horse Farms Forever.

On behalf of the entire No Roads to Ruin Steering Committee,

Cris Costello

Senior Organizing Manager

Sierra Club

2127 S. Tamiami Trail

Osprey, FL 34229

941-914-0421

cris.costello@sierraclub.org

Mark Ferrulo

Executive Director

Progress Florida

mark@progressflorida.org

727-289-2612 office

Patrick Rose

Executive Director

Save the Manatee Club

500 N. Maitland Ave.

Maitland, FL 32751

Office: 407-539-0990

Ryan Smart

Florida Springs Council

P.O. Box 268

High Springs, FL 32655

smart@floridaspringscouncil.org

Julianne Thomas

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

1495 Smith Preserve Way

Naples, FL  34102

juliannet@conservancy.org

Jonathan Webber

Deputy Director

Florida Conservation Voters (FCV)

jwebber@fcvoters.org

(850) 629-4656