Major improvements planned for U.S. 301 as The Villages expands to the south
Major improvements, including a truck bypass around Coleman and widening to four lanes, are planned for U.S. 301 south of Wildwood.
Details about a Florida Department of Transportation study of the project were presented Monday night to the Wildwood City Commission. The study area is between State Road 44 and County Road 470.
That portion of U.S. 301 is expected to carry up to 34,000 vehicles daily by 2042, according to the study. Estimated project cost for widening U.S. 301 and building the truck bypass is nearly $194 million. Project design is funded for 2020, but construction and right-of-way acquisition are not yet in the state budget.
The proposed truck route would begin at the intersection of U.S. 301 and County Road 468 near the Village of Fenney and run southeast to connect with the highway south of Coleman. It would involve relocation of eight residents.
Truck traffic on the highway is expected to increase as the Monarch Industrial Park and the Wade Industrial Park, both along Interstate 75, are developed. Traffic congestion also is expected to rise with residential developments that include Fenney, the Villages of Southern Oaks and the proposed Landstone development along CR 470.
Road improvements would be designed to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
Roundabouts are being considered for the intersections of U.S. 301 and CR 468 and the intersection of U.S. 301 and County Road 525.
A public hearing on the project is planned for September with study completion during the summer of 2018.
The FDOT studies will review project impacts on residential relocation, wetlands, drainage, wildlife, historical and archaeological sites, flood plains, utilities and potential contamination sites.
Thirty historic sites in the project area are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, many in Coleman. Of 48 sites studied for contamination, nine were determined high risk.
Related road projects include the new Florida Turnpike interchange at CR 468: widening CR 468 to four lanes between the turnpike and U.S. 301; and widening of County Road 501 to four lanes between county roads 468 and 470. FDOT also is looking at improvements to CR 470 between U.S. 301 and the turnpike.
CR 525, a new two-lane road, is planned near the Wade Industrial Park and a new I-75 interchange has been proposed at CR 468. FDOT also is looking at revamping for the turnpike interchange at I-75, which includes widening northbound I-75 south of the interchange.
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More than 90 percent of Sumter County’s new home permits were issued in The Villages during the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a county economic report.
The report was reviewed Tuesday at a workshop meeting of the Sumter County Board.
A total of 253 permits were issued in The Villages, most in the Village of Fenney, while 24 were issued in the rest of the county.
The Villages also dominated commercial construction with 90,000 square feet compared to 50,873 square feet elsewhere in the county.
Sumter County also was involved in a significant amount of economic development activity during the quarter, the report stated.
Contact was established with Mid-Florida Manufacturers Association to provide more support for local businesses.
The county also provided assistance to specific manufacturers. A CareerSource workforce grant was processed for Outokumpu, a Wildwood stainless steel manufacturer. Machinery training and CareerSource training opportunities were provided for workers at Metal Industries of Bushnell. Information on potential expansion was provided to Crevalle Boats.
In the agribusiness area, the county continued to provide buyer and communication assistance for Central Beef Industries of Center Hill. Assistance with a Charter Communications expansion was offered for Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery of Lake Panasoffkee and the county helped Robbins Manufacturing, which produces pressure-treated lumber, with land rezoning and finding a work release program contact.
Sumter County provided a tax credit incentive for T&D Distribution of Wildwood and helped with a maintenance position at Kottke Trucking, which acquired Walbon & Co..
The county continued its recruitment efforts during the quarter in areas that include food, fertilizer and agricultural tourism.
Infrastructure projects to assist local businesses included water main extensions along County Road 219 and in Bushnell as well as road widening and gas line extensions for the Wade Industrial Park and the Florida Crossroads Industrial Area, south of Coleman.
Economic development events included the Farm City day and tour, the Enterprise Florida stakeholder meeting and a manufacturers summit. A jobs summit, tropical plant exhibition and a Brazil-Florida networking event are planned.
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