Oppose FDOT Project #14480 in Marion County

FDOT; Marion BOCC; ECFRPC Chair Emily Bonilla; Rep. Harding; Rep. Hage; Rep. Massullo; Rep. Ingoglia; Sen. Baxley; Sen. Bradley; House Speaker Chris Sprowls; Sen. Pres. Wilton Simpson; Gov. DeSantis

It's important to stop the construction of toll roads in our area.

Toll roads threaten our conservation lands, state forests, equine industry, hunting and fishing, and outdoor recreation. They contribute to an increase of pollution and storm water runoff while reducing the amount of water that goes into our aquifer.

To: FDOT; Marion BOCC; ECFRPC Chair Emily Bonilla; Rep. Harding; Rep. Hage; Rep. Massullo; Rep. Ingoglia; Sen. Baxley; Sen. Bradley; House Speaker Chris Sprowls; Sen. Pres. Wilton Simpson; Gov. DeSantis
From: [Your Name]

We, the undersigned residents of Marion County, strongly oppose the toll roads being considered in Project#14480 - Turnpike (SR 91) Extension at Northern Terminus. The M-CORES Task Force failed to find a need for the proposed toll roads and, further, recommended improvement or expansion of existing major highway corridors. Widespread opposition to new toll roads led to the 2021 repeal of the legislation mandating M-CORES.

West Marion County is equine industry, farming, wetlands, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Toll roads lead to sprawl and destruction while increasing air and water pollution and stressing our aquifer. According to the 2021 Marion County Quality of Life Survey, Marion County residents feel strongly that land and natural resources need to be conserved and protected from development and urban sprawl. Given that tourism and agriculture are the top two industries in our state, and Marion County is invested in these industries, toll roads and their resultant sprawl are ultimately detrimental to both our county and our state.