Posted on 06/11/2019 3:10:34 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Despite pleas from two former state governors and at least 90 environmental and community groups and businesses, Gov. Ron DeDantis on Friday signed a multibillion-dollar plan to build long stretches of toll roads across undeveloped sections of the state.
The legislation has been labeled the worst environmental bill in twenty years. And the Florida Sierra Club has warned of pristine areas becoming urban sprawl, where subdivisions and strip malls will proliferate and the natural resources that bring visitors to the state will be overused and overrun.
DeSantis approved the bill anyway.
The announcement came not from the governors press office but from aides to Senate President Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who made the projects his priority during the 2019 legislative session and who would be in a position to frustrate the DeSantis agenda in the future if crossed.
The governors office had no immediate reply to a request for comment, but at 2:08 p.m. released an updated daily schedule listing the bill signing at 11:45 a.m. at the Longboat Key Club & Resort, where Galvano was hosting a golf tournament honoring his late father. The office issued a press release announcing the signing at 3:22 p.m.
Earlier, during a ceremonial signing in Sarasota of legislation making texting while driving a primary offense, DeSantis had signaled that he was ready to sign the bill.
I think we need new roads in Florida to get around. Its a bill that Ill support and sign, DeSantis told reporters.
Particularly, Southwest Florida and into Central Florida, right now you have to go all the way around [Interstate] 75. Its not a good route. To have a more direct route there I think would be good. Completing the Suncoast Parkway I think would give another route to places like Tallahassee . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at floridaphoenix.com ...
Depends on where the roads are. Its very hard to get across Florida, oddly enough, so going from one coast to another takes forever, even though its not an enormous distance. It took me forever to get from Jacksonville to the lower Gulf last week, although its not really that far. But I had to thread my way through many little country roads and past many cows and 45 mph zones. I think a few well-placed roads could be a good help, and they would actually get some business for a few dying or depressed towns in the center of Florida (inhabited only by migrant workers and a few elderly).
So I think the important thing is to find out what the plan is and where the roads are going.
That sounds fair enough.
Doesn’t sound like one should have to take side roads to get across Florida but then I don’t know the need, etc.
Have a good one! :)
The Hurricane changed a lot of the equation on this. Had it hit as it was forecast, with millions stuck on the three major roads north out of South Florida, 10’s of thousands could have been killed.
Nope
Oh boy more alligators to show up and eat vehicles and their occupants. Pay your tolls or else
I concur. I live in WPB area and it’s a pain to go across state, let alone south west. I have to literally do a big U. Down turnpike to Sawgrass and up 75 at Naples. I can see the benefit of two or three cutting cow-country and the Jackie Gleason speed traps in the middle of the state.
Besides - you get used to using your SunPass. Cash toll lanes really slow things down.
Some "fly-over" towns won't take the crowding too well.
Still, I like seeing cow-country go by, and the "blue roads" sometimes take the same amount of time.
:)
Yes! There are so many places that have dirt roads. And only one road to get places. Its absurd. This is great news!!!!! Look at whose against this. Winning!!!!
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