Join us for a brief 20-minute press conference with local residents, coalition partners, and ‘No Build’ activists to celebrate our historic win and hear from local leaders what FDOT’s “Pause” and study concluding “no viable proposed corridors” means. Learn more here or at our Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/2sw4JKlP6
McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium–outside the County Commission Building in the lawn on the side of the building.
601 SE 25th Ave. Ocala, Florida 34471
If you are planning to attend, please arrive around 9:00 AM. The press conference will start at 9:30 AM sharp. More details can be found here in the media advisory.
IMPORTANT UPDATE AND BACKGROUND: On August 4th, FDOT announced that they would be ‘pausing’ the Northern Turnpike Extension after the Florida Turnpike Enterprise Alternative Corridor Evaluation Study Concluded with no Viable Proposed Corridors.
- Please read our response and press release. The devil is in the details and frankly, there aren’t many. As a Coalition, we still have many questions. One thing is certain: this project is not ‘dead’. Until FDOT makes its position crystal clear, we will remain vigilant and involved.
- One thing is certain: this ‘pause,’ whatever it may mean, is directly related to the mobilization of the Citrus, Levy, Marion and Sumter county voters who dared to refuse to take ‘toll’ for an answer, and the adoption of ‘No Build’ resolutions across the four-county study area.
- To date (8/5/22) the following communities have adopted “No Build” resolutions: the Levy Board of County Commission, Citrus Board of County Commission, Dunnellon City Council, Inverness City Council, Inglis Town Commission, Yankeetown Council, and Bronson Town Council
July 26: **PRESS RELEASE** “NO BUILD” REVERBERATES ACROSS SUMTER COUNTY EVERY CORNER OF SUMTER JOINS FORCES TO DEFEAT TURNPIKE THREAT
June 14: **PRESS RELEASE:** BEDECKED CROWD TO SUMTER COMMISSION: “NO BUILD” IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE OUR COUNTY
Sign the Sumter County No Build petition!
Write a letter to the editor
- Letter to the editor how to resource
- Contact Information for Papers: Linked here you will find contact information for submitting letters to the editor for top Florida papers.
- The Villages News submission link.
- Orlando Sentinel submission link. 250 word limit.
- Tampa Bay Times submission link. 25o word limit.
- Contact Information for Papers: Linked here you will find contact information for submitting letters to the editor for top Florida papers.
- Example LTEs for No Roads to Ruin campaign
Organize locally to pass a “No Build” resolution! The previous “No Build” or “repeal M-CORES” resolutions previously passed by many local governments will not be considered by FDOT. Local governments must pass new “anti-NTE” resolutions. Check out this draft resolution you can use.
Speak up to your relevant local government body and let your local electeds know that you want them to oppose ALL of the proposed Northern Turnpike toll roads routes:
- Sumter Board of County Commissioners: Regular meetings are scheduled for the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Address: 7375 Powell Road Wildwood, FL 34785
- Contact information for all of the County Commissioners
- County Adminstrator email: bradley.arnold@sumtercountyfl.gov
- Phone number for County Commision office: 352-689-4400
- Meetings, Agendas, and Minutes
- See the most current agenda here
- Cities and Communities of Sumter County
- City of Wildwood: City Commission meetings are held every second Monday at 9:00 AM and fourth Monday at 7:00 PM. Address: 100 N. Main Street Wildwood, FL 34785
- Contact the City Commissioners (contact information under Staff Directory)
- Phone: 352‑330‑1330
- Agendas, Minutes, and Calendar
- The Villages: The Village Center Community Development District meets on the Wednesday before the second Friday of the month at 3:30 p.m. Address: 1545 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages, Florida.
- City of Coleman: City Council meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
- City of Bushnell: City Council meetings are held once monthly on the first Monday of the month at 6:00 PM and listed on this calendar. Address: 117 E. Joe P. Strickland, Jr. Ave.
- City of Center Hill: City Council meetings are held every first Tuesday after the first Monday of every month at 6:00 p.m. Address: City Hall, 94 Virginia Avenue, Center Hill, Florida, 33514
- Contact cntrhill@embarqmail.com; click here for list of local officials
- Phone: 352-689-4400
- Agendas, calendars, etc. are here.
- City of Webster: City Council meetings are held every third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m.
- Address: 85 E Central Ave, Webster, FL 33597
- Contact:
- Click here for Council Member email addresses
- cityhall@websterfl.com
- http://www.websterfl.com/contact-us.html
- Phone: (352) 793-2073
- Click here (and scroll down) for agendas, meeting packets, etc.
Contact your state representatives in the House and Senate and let them know you are concerned and opposed to the Northern Turnpike Extension Toll Roads. Find them here.
Need talking points and other relevant resources? See below for maps, factsheets, & other materials.
- NTE Fact sheet and NO BUILD handout.
- Draft town/city/county “NTE No Build” resolution: The time is now to build support and identify elected champions for a local government resolution against the NTE. Use this draft resolution to get started!
- Want a pink yard sign? Join others by saying that “Rural Florida Says No Toll Roads!” Order your sign today!
- Proposed route map
FDOT’s Northern Turnpike Extension ArcGIS tool: FDOT’s ETDM (Efficient Transportation Decision Making) website now has info on the Northern Turnpike Extension for Marion, Sumter, and Levy counties showing proposed routes which (no surprise to us) ignore the M-CORES Task Force recommendations. Take the same link to get to the map/routes (on the left side of the screen look for “view of map” under “Project Detail.”