The Villages, Sumter County abandon plan for Florida Turnpike interchange
 

From the online news that shall not be named:

The Villages, Sumter County abandon plan for Florida Turnpike interchange at County Road 468

After eight years of planning, The Villages and Sumter County are abandoning a proposal to build a Florida Turnpike interchange at County Road 468.

CR 468 is an extension of Morse Boulevard that goes to the Village of Fenney, about four miles south and west from State Road 44. The limited interchange, with access to and from the south only, would have provided a quicker route to and from the turnpike for many villagers than existing interchanges at U.S. 301 and County Road 470.

Sumter County was scheduled to build the proposed interchange by 2025. Some earth moving has been done, but no construction has taken place. Dirt ramps were scheduled to be built this year so construction could be completed when money became available. CR 468 was widened to four lanes last year over the turnpike.

The Villages bought land for the interchange and then sold it to the county.

But a June 8 letter to Florida Turnpike administrator Jennifer Stults from a law firm representing The Villages states that local officials no longer are interested in developing the interchange.

The interchange would interfere “with a series of planning actions of several of the agencies to create north/south and east/west roads in the southern Wildwood area,” stated the letter from Nancy Linnan of the law firm Carlton Fields. “As a consequence, neither the County nor The Villages is currently interested in continuing either a requirement or option of an interchange at that location.”

Sumter County Administrator Bradley Arnold said a recent county transportation study “shows (the interchange) is not warranted,” especially with a proposed $36-million extension of Buena Vista Boulevard between SR 44 and CR 468.

A study several years ago by Kimley Horn & Associates Inc. of Ocala said the new interchange was needed because the population of the tri-county area of Sumter, Lake and Marion counties was expected to reach 770,000 by 2020.

Glad I didn't jump to buy down there. That was one of the draws for me

More commercial devlopment acres, this could be good. Glad we bought down here. The 301 ramps are close enough and never could figure out why they needed another on 468. I mentioned on another thread that a contractor told me there was to be a shopping mall/center with national retail anchors on 468 at the turnpike, this news must have leaked out a while back. Guess we'll wait and see, lots of possibilities.

I found the sentence about the extension of Buena Vista Blvd very interesting. More growth for TV?

For the residents living in the the center part of the Villages, I felt an interchange at CR 468 and the Florida Turnpike would have saved us miles and time versus going to the 301 exit and then having to go back east on 44 or 466A. Is this incorrect?

I'm not sure about that, at least time wise. The amount of time it takes to backtrack east may be offset by getting off the high speed interstate 5 miles further south. In either case I doubt it would make a difference of more than 2 or 3 minutes. The best mileage savings would probably be for those who live near Mallory, and much less for those who live near Brownwood

You don't need to go back to 301. Take 468 north to 505, turn right and go to 470. Turn left and go to the turnpike entrance toward Orlando. Much shorter and very easy to do.

Exactly. I use this route every once in a while. From my house (Lake Deaton) this route is not any shorter. I actually measured and timed it one day. Depending on the left turn light at 44 and 301, it's a draw.

?Do you mean SOUTH on 468, LEFT on 501, and LEFT on 470????

I doubt that a huge shopping mall will be built on 468 next to the turnpike until a turnpike exit exists at that location. It’s all about available monies and what roads will enhance the building of more homes south of 44. Everything can’t be done at once.

I think you have your numbers incorrect?


take morse south to 468, turn left on 501 onto east 470 and there is the florida turnpike

Without an interchange, this might be the solution to getting a golf cart crossing over the turnpike. Cart lanes can be added to the 468 bridge.

I'm not too worried. Based on the map of land acquired and marked "future village", in 5-10 years everything from 44 to the turnpike, from the extension of BV to CR 48 southwest of Leesburg, and even some parts south of the turnpike will look like the rest of TV

I agree. In fact, I have heard there is a plan to turn the outside lanes of the Turnpike - both north & south - into cart paths.


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Wow. Another one of those times when we agree. :)

I may have to reevaluate my position. :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: