[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

Several months ago there was something in the paper stating that the bridge would indeed cross the Turnpike near the power lines. I would assume that it has not changed at this point. The other was supposed to be at the cattle bridge near the service plaza? Another question. They have cleared an enormous amount of land east of the Turnpike and north of Warm Springs. Am I right in assuming that this is going to be retail space as it is not being groomed in the same way residential areas have been?

The area is known as Phase 8a or Phase 4 depending on the documents you look at. A portion of which is designated as commercial (River Birch Plaza) the rest of it is undesignated by any drawings made publicly available. In the 1st picture below you see the River Birch Plaza and the main road coming down from Brownwood. The 2nd picture is a little wider view and shows the extent of the commercial areas planned in yellow.

I am still scratching my head about the golf cart path route. Why build all the way up to the roadway and the bridge in the deliberate manner shown? That little parcel of land right next to the bridge can't be built on because it's a part of the embankment structure of the bridge/roadway. Perhaps they've found a special use for the extra roadbed width of the new north bridge. Looking at the current maps one will have to take the MMP north about 1 1/2 miles and then south again just to cross the Turnpike in a golf cart, or of course you could go south to the Baily bridge, 2 miles, and do the same thing. Might as well take the car. Neither MMP seems a very good plan, and good planning has been a hallmark of this developer for several decades now, how uncharacteristic of them. Maybe they have something planned that hasn't been announced yet.

If you look at time 5:50 on the video you can see the pond and area were the MMP is supposed to be built next to the intersection, still a big height difference and steep slope. And there is a lot of open space between CR468 and the Everglades Rec Center. If you look at picture 2 you also see the MMP that wraps around the retention pond behind Everglades RC, not a very good nature walk along the Turnpike.

Just some food for thought...