Lazaro Aleman
news@greenepublishing.com
Nearly two months after the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 100, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law last week.
DeSantis’ action on Thursday, June 24, basically scrapped the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Impact (M-CORES) program and many of its initiatives, including the toll road that some North Florida residents opposed because of its potential impact on the environment, wildlife habitat and the regions character and quality of life.
1000 Friends of Florida and Tall Timbers Land Conservancy were among the many civic and environmental organizations to express joy over the repeal of M-CORES project, which was pushed through the 2019 legislative session by then Senate President Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican.
“We’re glad Gov. DeSantis has chosen to sign SB-100, which repeals and replaces the unsustainable plan to build the 330-mile M-CORES network of toll roads through some of the most sensitive natural lands left in Florida,” stated 1000 Friends of Florida President Paul Owens.
“Tall Timbers applauds the efforts by the Florida Senate in crafting and passing SB-100 and the Florida House in unanimously supporting this bill,” stated a Facebook post by Tall Timbers. “We especially appreciate Senator Gayle Harrell for drafting SB-100 and Representative Randolph Bracy for championing measures from the toll road task force to protect the environment and vulnerable communities.”
Even the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA), a M-CORES supporter, chose to cast SB-100 in its best light, calling it “a smart first step to begin addressing both the state’s short and long-term infrastructure needs.”
“All signs point to continued growth for Florida, which means more vehicles traveling on our roadways,” said FTBA President Ananth Prasad. “Because of this, Florida will need both new and improved roads throughout our state to accommodate them.”
Although M-CORES appears to be in the rear mirror, the project’s opponents caution that SB-100 is still a major highway construction bill that warrants monitoring going forward in order to protect the environment and prevent urban sprawl.
They point out that while the bill did away with the the Suncoast Connector to the Georgia-Florida state line, it still calls for improvements to congested areas of U.S. 19.
1000 Friends points out that SB-100 specifically authorizes road improvements from Citrus to Madison County as well as “upgrades throughout the three corridors for the originally authorized toll roads where truck traffic is an issue.”
Specific to the Citrus to Madison upgrades, which route more or less corresponds to the Suncoast Connector under the M-CORES legislation, SB-100 instructs the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) “to develop a work program that allows for the construction of controlled access facilities as needed to achieve the free flow of traffic predominantly along U.S. 19, from the terminus of the Suncoast Parkway in Citrus County north to a logical terminus on Interstate 10 in Madison County.”
For Madison County, the good news is these changes shift what remains of the Suncoast Connector to Madison County, which lobbied for the project.