![]() Roads significantly contribute to habitat loss and fragmentation. Roadways are lethal barriers to wildlife and wildlife movement. All of the regions identified as core breeding habitat for the Florida panther are set to be impacted by the toll road project. The hundreds of miles of roads will also hinder (and possibly even prevent) recovery of the endangered Florida panther, which has been a state and national focus for decades. Increased sprawl will lead to increased water consumption, less land available for water recharge, and additional pollution from runoff into our rivers, springs, and remaining wetlands. Without a single study demonstrating that these roads are needed or that they will be a worthy investment, the planning effort for the three proposed toll roads has already been appropriated $135 million for the next 2 years. Lawmakers are spending our tax dollars frivolously on unnecessary projects rather than directing our limited financial resources toward documented and real infrastructure and environmental needs.Īdditionally, the footprint of the toll roads themselves will destroy thousands of acres of undeveloped land, and it will certainly incentivize sprawling development- both residential and commercial. The economics on this current road will be equally dreadful. In fact, the Heartland Parkway was projected to be 83% unfunded based on toll revenue. It was rejected because there was no need, and the proposed toll road did not meet the statutory requirements to qualify as a toll road based on insufficient revenue projections. There is no evidence to support that the proposed toll roads will be any more economically viable.Ī similar project to one of the toll road corridors was proposed – and rejected – in 2007. Bad idea that just won’t go awayįlorida already has more toll roads than any other state and several of these existing toll roads do not actually attract a sufficient number of drivers to support the economic impact of these roads. These are not needs as identified by transportation planners and experts, and will only serve to damage our economic and ecological well-being. These actual needs are being sidelined to focus on the whim of lawmakers who decided there is a need for 330 miles of toll roads. ![]() ![]() ![]() There are infrastructure needs on existing roads across the state that have long been included in FDOT’s transportation plans. This is a backward process and an inappropriate approach to transportation planning. ![]() M-CORES, however, was introduced by lawmakers and therefore was not included in any of the major FDOT transportation plans. Typically, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is responsible for planning improvements and construction of Florida roads. Of the 27 endangered Florida panthers that died last year, 23 were killed in collisions with vehicles. Roads are also the leading cause of death for panthers, and adding 130 miles of roadways through their remaining habitat not only puts Florida panthers at even greater risk of being hit and killed, but will undoubtedly undermine the decades of conservation efforts put forth in recovering this endangered species. These beautiful animals have already been extirpated from much of their home range, and additional roadways will only cause further damage. ![]()
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