TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Three major highways could be created in mostly rural areas of Florida under legislation approved by a House panel Thursday and also moving in the Senate.
The House Appropriations transportation and tourism panel voted 9-3 for its bill, a top priority in the 60-day session of Republican Senate President Bill Galvano of Bradenton. The measure sets aside millions of dollars and sets up studies for potential highways between Polk and Collier counties, a northern extension of the Suncoast Parkway from Citrus to Jefferson counties and a westward extension of Florida’s Turnpike from Wildwood to connect to the Suncoast.
All would be toll roads. Construction would begin before Dec. 31, 2022, with a goal of opening all three highways to traffic by Dec. 31, 2030.
Supporters say the highways would alleviate congestion, create jobs, provide hurricane evacuation routes and enable millions of tourists to get around the state more easily. Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused massive evacuations that triggered huge traffic jams along the few main north-south routes in Florida and the Interstate 4 route to Orlando’s theme parks is often heavily congested.
Three task forces would be set up to study the impact of the proposed highways on everything from the environment to land uses to hurricane evacuations. Their work is due to the governor, Senate president and House speaker by June 2020.
“It will rely significantly on the recommendations of the three task forces,” said GOP Rep. Jay Trumbull of Panama City, the subcommittee chairman. “What this would do is add opportunities for folks to take other routes.”
Skeptics worry about the impacts on the environment and wildlife and the possibility of more urban sprawl. They also say there’s no evidence of traffic congestion in the rural areas where the highways would go.
Laura Reynolds of Friends of the Everglades said the impact studies should be completed before any taxpayer money is set aside for the projects.
“It sounds to me that you’re putting the cart before the horse,” she said. “We’re already seeing signs from our environment that we are out of balance. We should deal with that.”
Lawmakers from highly populated South Florida said the planned roads would do nothing to ease chronic congestion or provide evacuation routes out of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
“This is not adequate. We know the need is there,” said Rep. Barbara Watson, a Miami Gardens Democrat.
The Senate version of the bill has already been approved by two committees.
“I am pleased to see this important issue moving in the House, and look forward to working with Speaker (Jose) Oliva and the Florida House on important issues related to infrastructure as we move forward,” Galvano said in a statement.
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