COASTAL CONNECTOR HIGHWAY PROJECT
State road planners on Thursday revealed a spaghetti map of possible routes for the proposed “Coastal Connector” highway project — including one that could bring a new interchange at Interstate 75 in north Marion County.
The plan is in its earliest stages and the current study is only gathering public input. The highway would connect north Central Florida with the Tampa area and run through Citrus and Marion County. The new road, likely a toll road, would reduce the strain on Interstate 75 with the goal of keeping up with growth and improving transportation and future emergency evacuations.
“The project is decades from fruition. The department is looking at the traffic and transportation needs for the year 2045 and beyond to determine if a new facility should continue to be studied,” according to Henry Pinzon, an environmental engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation.
