New interchange on Turnpike to be built and funded by The Villages.

[graciegirl]

The new interchange will be located approximately five miles north of the County Road 470 interchange and approximately four miles south of the U.S. 301 interchange.

[Papa]

here's a link to the original study:

http://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/AgendaModule/AI952/CR%20468%20turnpike_948_1040_952_1046.pdf

[JP]

I've always thought that CR468 would be the logical choice for where TV would continue developing south since there is so much vacant land down that way. It basically would connect right into Morse Blvd and make Morse Blvd THE highway exit for people coming to TV. How appropriate from the developers standpoint.

[kittygilchrist]

I heard this first from (my) Pastor Gary Washburn of Grace Tabernacle Church located in what was once a cow pasture, on 468 between the turnpike new exit and the place we assume will be connecting point on 44 for Morse.

[Bogie Shooter]

The fact that there will be an interchange is old news.
What is now being reported, The Villages is beginning the clearing of the interchange property. The proposal of long ago is now becoming realty.

[gomoho]

Could someone please enlighten me - what benefit does this have to the developer of The Villages if the intent is not to build out that far?

[kittygilchrist]

Drink some koolaid, gomoho, it keeps us Bubblers from asking too many questions.

[jhrc4]

here's a link to the original study:

http://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/AgendaModule/AI952/CR%20468%20turnpike_948_1040_952_1046.pdf

Now this is what I call an Excellent response total 1st Class TOTV let's this happen, and the individual who took the time to do this is really Outstanding!!

Thank You

[Mallory]

Not sure of the age of the K-H report and drawings but it looks like the concept of northbound off / southbound on is back on the table for Phase 1.

[JMEZARIC3]

The new interchange will be located approximately five miles north of the County Road 470 interchange and approximately four miles south of the U.S. 301 interchange.
Is the developer using his money or our money for this project?The exchange will not benefit me so I hope I am not paying for it.

[Bogie Shooter]

Is the developer using his money or our money for this project?The exchange will not benefit me so I hope I am not paying for it.

He is using what was once your money.
No, your ammenity fees are not being used.

[JB in TV]

Do we know about any proposed time frames? I see on the study that was linked above a date of 2034. That's still 20 year from now if my math skills are still intact. :laugh:

[champion6]

Do we know about any proposed time frames?It has already started. Quote from an online local news source: "The Villages has begun clearing away brush in advance of its construction of the new interchange at the existing crossing of CR 468 over Florida's Turnpike in Sumter County."

[janmcn]

It has already started. Quote from an online local news source: "The Villages has begun clearing away brush in advance of its construction of the new interchange at the existing crossing of CR 468 over Florida's Turnpike in Sumter County."


I think what we all want to know is when will it be completed and open to traffic?

[Bogie Shooter]

Not by Valentines Day!:laugh:


There was no time frame as a part of the announcement, other than the following;

The extension of Morse Boulevard to State Road 44 is planned to be completed concurrently with construction of the proposed interchange. Sumter County also plans to widen CR 468 from two lanes to four-lane divided between SR 44 and the proposed Turnpike interchange

[Bavarian]

2034 is probably good guess. Takes a long time to build an interchange and road to connect to existing roads which may have to be expanded for heavier traffic from the Turnpike. More people then Villagers will probably use it.

[Bogie Shooter]

2034 is probably good guess. Takes a long time to build an interchange and road to connect to existing roads which may have to be expanded for heavier traffic from the Turnpike. More people then Villagers will probably use it.

20 years to build an interchange and connecting roads??
5-7 years is my guess.

[NoMoSno]

Do we know about any proposed time frames? I see on the study that was linked above a date of 2034. That's still 20 year from now if my math skills are still intact. :laugh:

Typical Florida highway construction.
Look at 27/441, going on 7 yrs.(?), no end in sight...

[Bogie Shooter]

Typical Florida highway construction.
Look at 27/441, going on 7 yrs.(?), no end in sight...

Don't forget who is paying for this interchange......

[Mallory]

2034 refers to traffic load projections in that year.

[getdul981]

Don't forget who is paying for this interchange......

That is why I would guess that it will be complete by the end of 2014.

[JP]

That is why I would guess that it will be complete by the end of 2014.

I agree.

Start looking for the construction of a golf cart tunnel or bridge that will go under/over 44 around the extended Morse Blvd.

Of course this "tell" won't happen until TV is almost "built out".

Maybe this Villages expansion will knock the current escalation of home prices back to reality.

[justjim]

Don't forget who is paying for this interchange......

The Developer is paying for the Turnpike interchange-----two years this project will be completed. Dealing with State of Florida (Turnpike) is much different than the I 75/466 proposed interchange which required Federal approval and participation.

[Bonanza]

Is the developer using his money or our money for this project?The exchange will not benefit me so I hope I am not paying for it.

It won't benefit you? Why not? Don't you go anywhere? Do you ever go to the airport or to Orlando? Do you have company that visits that uses the Turnpike? The way I see it, it would benefit everyone.

[bonrich]

Build and they shall come.......

[JP]

With this new turnpike exit being built I think it makes it more likely there will be high end stores built around Brownwood because 'outside' people would have better to them.

[NIPAS K-9]

here's a link to the original study:

http://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/AgendaModule/AI952/CR%20468%20turnpike_948_1040_952_1046.pdf
Thank You for posting that information.

[NIPAS K-9]

it won't benefit you? Why not? Don't you go anywhere? Do you ever go to the airport or to orlando? Do you have company that visits that uses the turnpike? The way i see it, it would benefit everyone.
well said............

[Villager Dude]

well said............

Not sure about you but for some reason I think there may be an outlet mall on the horizon near the exchange.

No facts just suspicion.

There has to be a commercial reason to build this. Residential sales are good enough here at TV so I do not think the motive is primarily to benefit us.

[NJblue]

It won't benefit you? Why not? Don't you go anywhere? Do you ever go to the airport or to Orlando? Do you have company that visits that uses the Turnpike? The way I see it, it would benefit everyone.

Yes, there probably will be some benefit. However, there will also be potential for some very substantial negatives. First, this not only provides a shortcut for you and me, but it provides a shortcut for everyone including residents of Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg and Sommerfield who previously may have used 27/441 off the turnpike. It also is a shortcut for the tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles who, instead of using state highways will now opt for the shortcut through The Villages. I expect traffic on Morse to be significantly worse than it is now.

Secondly, it is a well known fact that criminals like to have easy access and especially egress from their crimes. So, if it makes it easy for you and I to get to/from the turnpike, it also makes it easy for the undesirable elements.

Like many, when I first heard of this interchange more than 5 years ago, I thought of only the positives for me as a regular user of the turnpike. However, upon further reflection, I think I'd rather take the extra few minutes it takes to go via the Wildwood exit and keep Morse as a primarily TV resident road.

[mulligan]

Took long enough. I knew there had to be some negativity out there.

[JB in TV]

Yes, there probably will be some benefit. However, there will also be potential for some very substantial negatives. First, this not only provides a shortcut for you and me, but it provides a shortcut for everyone including residents of Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg and Sommerfield who previously may have used 27/441 off the turnpike. It also is a shortcut for the tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles who, instead of using state highways will now opt for the shortcut through The Villages. I expect traffic on Morse to be significantly worse than it is now.

Secondly, it is a well known fact that criminals like to have easy access and especially egress from their crimes. So, if it makes it easy for you and I to get to/from the turnpike, it also makes it easy for the undesirable elements.

Like many, when I first heard of this interchange more than 5 years ago, I thought of only the positives for me as a regular user of the turnpike. However, upon further reflection, I think I'd rather take the extra few minutes it takes to go via the Wildwood exit and keep Morse as a primarily TV resident road.

While you bring up some imteresting points, I think the tractor trailers and commercial vehicles will not want to navigate the round abouts...so, I doubt that commercial traffic on Morse will increase that much.

Additionally, I doubt "criminals" are using the turnpike to get here...

[NJblue]

Not sure about you but for some reason I think there may be an outlet mall on the horizon near the exchange.

No facts just suspicion.

There has to be a commercial reason to build this. Residential sales are good enough here at TV so I do not think the motive is primarily to benefit us.

This may be true if Morse is doing this voluntarily. However, I would guess that this is less than voluntary. More likely, his funding of the interchange was required as a condition for approval to expand The Villages to its current scope. This type of arrangement happens all the time in land development.

The biggest commercial benfactor for this interchange would likely be the owners of the vast amount of property in the immediate area of the exchange. Unless Morse is a shadow owner of the Bigham Hide Company, which is the primary land owner in the area, he would now have to pay top dollar to acquire the land for commercial use.

[buzzy]

Yes, there probably will be some benefit. However, there will also be potential for some very substantial negatives. First, this not only provides a shortcut for you and me, but it provides a shortcut for everyone including residents of Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg and Sommerfield who previously may have used 27/441 off the turnpike. It also is a shortcut for the tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles who, instead of using state highways will now opt for the shortcut through The Villages. I expect traffic on Morse to be significantly worse than it is now.

Secondly, it is a well known fact that criminals like to have easy access and especially egress from their crimes. So, if it makes it easy for you and I to get to/from the turnpike, it also makes it easy for the undesirable elements.

Like many, when I first heard of this interchange more than 5 years ago, I thought of only the positives for me as a regular user of the turnpike. However, upon further reflection, I think I'd rather take the extra few minutes it takes to go via the Wildwood exit and keep Morse as a primarily TV resident road.

You forgot to mention caravans of Army vehicles taking a shortcut through The Villages.

[NJblue]

While you bring up some imteresting points, I think the tractor trailers and commercial vehicles will not want to navigate the round abouts...so, I doubt that commercial traffic on Morse will increase that much.

Additionally, I doubt "criminals" are using the turnpike to get here...

I hope you are right. However, compared with waiting at a traffic light on 27/441, dealing with a double lane round about is a piece of cake.

The common refrain around here when we talk about golf carts exceeding the speed limit by a couple of miles per hour is, "what's the rush, we are retired". I guess I feel that way about the extra few minutes it takes to go to Orlando the current way. I'd rather keep all the additional traffic off Morse. To claim that there will not be additional traffic is not logical - a shortcut begs for additional traffic.

[mulligan]

If you look at a map, it's only a shortcut to the villages.

[jbdlfan]

Not sure how this will add that much Villages traffic. Anyone in Leesburg, Fruitland Park will take 44 to 464 or whatever that road is. I would imagine anyone 466 or north will use 301 as I do to reach the Turnpike. Why would I go through ALL of those roundabouts? I only see it being used by those in the southern area.Believe it or not, most folks outside the bubble try to avoid us and our "challenged" drivers as much as possible.

[NJblue]

Not sure how this will add that much Villages traffic. Anyone in Leesburg, Fruitland Park will take 44 to 464 or whatever that road is. I would imagine anyone 466 or north will use 301 as I do to reach the Turnpike. Why would I go through ALL of those roundabouts? I only see it being used by those in the southern area.Believe it or not, most folks outside the bubble try to avoid us and our "challenged" drivers as much as possible.

Really? Do you think the state would demand/approve an interchange that they perceive would only serve a few thousand people?

[The Great Fumar]

I've always thought that CR468 would be the logical choice for where TV would continue developing south since there is so much vacant land down that way. It basically would connect right into Morse Blvd and make Morse Blvd THE highway exit for people coming to TV. How appropriate from the developers standpoint.

This was part of the deal with the state for extending 4-lanes to lady lake and 301 south to Wildwood......
They originally hired a firm from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but it was cancelled as they wanted to do it in Gravel.....

Strongs Corners Fumar

[Bonanza]

Yes, there probably will be some benefit. However, there will also be potential for some very substantial negatives. First, this not only provides a shortcut for you and me, but it provides a shortcut for everyone including residents of Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg and Sommerfield who previously may have used 27/441 off the turnpike. It also is a shortcut for the tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles who, instead of using state highways will now opt for the shortcut through The Villages. I expect traffic on Morse to be significantly worse than it is now.

Secondly, it is a well known fact that criminals like to have easy access and especially egress from their crimes. So, if it makes it easy for you and I to get to/from the turnpike, it also makes it easy for the undesirable elements.

Like many, when I first heard of this interchange more than 5 years ago, I thought of only the positives for me as a regular user of the turnpike. However, upon further reflection, I think I'd rather take the extra few minutes it takes to go via the Wildwood exit and keep Morse as a primarily TV resident road.

If you believe that criminals are going to use Morse as a getaway to the Turnpike, I think you are sadly mistaken. These "would-be criminals" would probably be local and have no use for getting to the Turnpike. I assume these "criminals" of which you speak are burglars and not travelling any kind of distance to do their dirty work.

Tractor trailers definately would not be travelling Morse. The round-abouts are too much of a pain in the butt for them. In addition, those who might want to use this new exit/entrance don't want to be bothered with all the round-abouts either. As a matter of fact, I even hate them. All they do is cause problems because most residents don't know how to drive them! Outsiders won't travel Morse; they will go a different route and then cut over by taking 44A or 44 or Powell or whatever, depending upon the direction from which they are coming.

I believe that 90% of this new exit/entrance will be used by Villages residents and people who are specifically coming to The Villages.

[jbdlfan]

Really? Do you think the state would demand/approve an interchange that they perceive would only serve a few thousand people?

Not sure why the State would ever do what it does. But I do think they would build an interchange to reduce traffic at the Northbound lane of the Turnpike and I-75 merge.
Doesn't change the fact that people will not drive 8-12 miles of roundabouts when there are better routes. I live on the North end it will not change my trip or friends and family that live around 466. Not to mention, why would ANYBODY drive through any of the Villages traffic if didn't have to.(especially this time of year)

[NJblue]

If you believe that criminals are going to use Morse as a getaway to the Turnpike, I think you are sadly mistaken. These "would-be criminals" would probably be local and have no use for getting to the Turnpike. I assume these "criminals" of which you speak are burglars and not travelling any kind of distance to do their dirty work.

Tractor trailers definately would not be travelling Morse. The round-abouts are too much of a pain in the butt for them. In addition, those who might want to use this new exit/entrance don't want to be bothered with all the round-abouts either. As a matter of fact, I even hate them. All they do is cause problems because most residents don't know how to drive them! Outsiders won't travel Morse; they will go a different route and then cut over by taking 44A or 44 or Powell or whatever, depending upon the direction from which they are coming.

I believe that 90% of this new exit/entrance will be used by Villages residents and people who are specifically coming to The Villages.

We can only wait and see. However, the current shortest route from the Lady Lake area to Orlando is down 441/27. Have you ever taken that route? I can assure you that a few roundabouts are a piece of cake compared with all the traffic lights one has to negotiate going down 441/27. A truck driver wants to take the way that is the least amount of time. Essentially rolling through a double lane roundabout is a whole lot faster than waiting a minute at each red light.

I can only hope you are right, but I suspect that you are not.

[NJblue]

Not sure why the State would ever do what it does. But I do think they would build an interchange to reduce traffic at the Northbound lane of the Turnpike and I-75 merge.
Doesn't change the fact that people will not drive 8-12 miles of roundabouts when there are better routes. I live on the North end it will not change my trip or friends and family that live around 466. Not to mention, why would ANYBODY drive through any of the Villages traffic if didn't have to.(especially this time of year)

Sure, if you live in the 466 area, your route may not change. However, if you lived over by Lady Lake I suspect it would. Since this is where most of the truck traffic goes, this may find itself on Morse at least up to 466a where it would then go up Micro Racetrack to Rolling Acres. The fact is that this would become the better route compared with 441/27 and its myriad of traffic lights and traffic that makes Villages traffic look like Montana.

[Cathy H]

I just read the brief k\Kimley-Horn engineering Co. study that only refers to "The Villages" without properly identifying the actual incorporated name of the party offering to put out almost $10 million for the work. Clarification is really needed to ease our fears. Since we live in central Villages and presently use the Route US 301 access point on the Turnpike, I don't think this new exit - entrance will benefit me.