Fixing the traffic problem

Motorists drive north on Southeast First Avenue where a lane is blocked for road construction in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

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Posted January 25, 2024 | By Caroline Brauchler
caroline@ocalagazette.com

Marion County officials say that if voters agree this year to renew the penny sales tax for another 20 years, the money raised could go toward huge infrastructure improvements across the county to ease traffic as more people move to the area every year.

What road projects do they have in mind? The county engineer has put forward a list of 27 projects for the next 20 years that would cost upward of $1.4 billion—$1.1 billion of which needs funding. That shortfall could be filled by the penny sales tax revenue.

These projects vary from general road maintenance, to adding intersections, to increasing the capacity of Marion County roads by adding lanes and expansions.

Since the penny sales tax was approved in 2016, several projects to increase capacity have already been completed, including to the 49th Avenue Corridor and County Road 484.

Some of the projects listed below could start as soon as next year, while others may only see construction as far out as 2040. The capacity and capital needs of Marion County roadways are estimated to cost about $816.7 million over the next 20 years, with the maintenance and rehabilitation needs being estimated at about $599.3 million over the next 20 years, according to Assistant County Administrator Tracy Straub.

The county currently has funding for about $297.3 million over the next 20 years, coming from the gas tax (80%), gas tax (5 cent local option), impact fee east and impact fee west. If the penny sales tax is approved by voters in the 2024 November general election, it will bring in about $65million a year and will also go toward public safety needs, county officials say.

The “total cost” of the projects described below includes the costs for design, right-of-way acquisition and construction.

None of the roadways with potential capacity projects are located within the Farmland Preservation Area. All projects described are subject to change.

 

Northeast Marion County:

Project 15—Phase 2 of the Northeast 35th Street project will add two lanes over 1.2 miles, from County Road 200A until Northeast 25th Avenue. Construction will begin between 2035 and 2039, and the total project will cost about $8.4 million.

 

Project 16— Phase 3 of the Northeast 35th Street project will add two lanes over for 1 mile, from Northeast 25th Avenue until Northeast 36th Avenue. Construction will begin between 2035 and 2039, and the total project will cost about $7.4 million.

 

Project 17— Phase 4 of the Northeast 35th Street project will add two lanes over 2.6 miles, from Northeast 36th Avenue until State Road 40. Construction will begin between 2035 and 2039, and the total project will cost about $22.1 million.

 

Project 25—County Road 35 will have two lanes added over 1.3 miles, from Northeast 35thStreet until East Highway 326. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $7.5 million.

 

Project 26—At SR 40 and State Road 35, a roundabout will be added to create an intersection.Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $18.6million.

 

Northwest Marion County:

Project 1—Phase 3b of the Northwest 49th Street and 35th Street project will add a new 2.3-mile two-lane road, from County Road 225A until Northwest 44th Avenue. Construction will begin in 2025 and the total project will cost about $14.2 million.

This project is in coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation to build a new Interstate 75 interchange at Northwest 29th Street and 35th Street. The interchange will offer direct access to I-75 from the Commerce Park and will be the location of the future Buc-ee’s travel center.

 

Project 7— Northwest 44th Avenue will be widened to four lanes over 1.4 miles, from Northeast 63rd Street until County Road 326. Construction will begin in 2029 and the total project will cost about $8.5 million.

 

Project 8— Phase 3a of the Northwest 49th Street and 35th Street project will add a new 1.1-mile four-lane road, from Northwest 44th Avenue. Construction will begin in 2029 and the total project will cost about $11.8 million.

 

Project 18— Southwest 60th Avenue will be widened to six lanes over 7.3 miles, from State Road 200 to North of US 27. Construction will begin between 2035 and 2039 and the total project will cost about $74.5 million.

 

Project 27—The Southwest 60th Avenue extension project will add a new four-lane divided road going north for 0.9 miles, from the terminus of the six-lane to Northwest 49th Street. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $10.1million.

 

Southwest Marion County:

Project 2— Southwest 29th Avenue North will have a new four-lane divided for 3.4 miles, from Marion Oaks Trail until Southwest 95th Street. Construction will begin in 2026 and the total project will cost about $28 million.

 

Project 3—Phase A of the Southwest 38th and 40th Street project will add two lanes over 1.9 miles, from Southwest 80th Avenue to Southwest 60th Avenue. Construction will begin in 2026 and the total project will cost about $15.5 million.

 

Project 4—Southwest 80th Avenue will have two lanes added over 3.7 miles, from Southwest 80th Street to a half mile north of Southwest 38th Street. Construction will begin in 2026 and the total project will cost about $29.3 million.

 

Project 5—County Road 475A will be widened to four lanes for a span of 1.8 miles, from Southwest 66th Street until 1.8 miles north of Southwest 66th Street. Construction will begin in 2027 and the total project will cost about $17.5 million.

 

Project 6— Phase B of the Southwest 38th and 40th Street project will add two lanes over 1.9 miles, from Southwest 60th Avenue to Southwest 43rd Court. Construction will begin in 2028 and the total project will cost about $15.2 million.

 

Project 9— County Road 484 will have two lanes added over 5.3 miles, from SR 200 to Marion Oaks Pass. Construction will begin between 2030 and 2034 and the total project will cost about $63 million.

 

Project 10—Southwest and Northwest 80th Avenue will have two lanes added over 2.12 miles, from a half mile north of Southwest 38th Street to just north of SR 40. Construction will begin between 2030 and 2034 and the total project will cost about $18.1 million.

 

Project 19— CR 484 will be widened to six lanes over 3.9 miles, from Marion Oaks Boulevard to CR 475. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $41 million.

 

Project 22—Marion Oaks Manor will get a new interchange at I-75. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $66 million. This cost estimate is based on the assumption that a flyover will exist.

“With project 22, the overall project is continuing Marion Oaks Manor out of Marion Oaks and doing a flyover at the interstate and getting us over to the Pedro area,” Straub said.

Given the work that FDOT has been and plans on doing to I-75, Straub said there could be a possibility of rolling out this project much sooner by having the county engineer it and pay for it but use the FDOT contractor to execute it.

“We could see getting that constructed very quickly, which then have us need to move the overall project higher in our priorities…because that’s just going to look weird having a bridge out there (that leads) to nowhere,” Straub said.

 

Project 23—CR 484 would see an interchange improvement by widening the ramp over the span of 1.3 miles. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $36 million.

 

Project 24— Southwest 80th Street will be widened to four lanes over 1.5 miles, from Southwest 80th Avenue to SR 200. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $10.4 million.

 

Southeast Marion County:

Project 11—Marion Oaks Manor will be extended with the construction of four-lane road spanning 10.2 miles, from Southwest 49th Avenue until US 301. Construction will begin between 2030 and 2034 and the total project will cost about $82.6 million.

 

Project 12— Southeast Maricamp Road will be widened to six lanes over 4.4 miles, from Southeast 31st Street to Midway Road. Construction will begin between 2030 and 2034 and the total project will cost about $10.4 million.

 

Project 13—A new interchange will be built at Southeast Maricamp Road and Baseline Road. Construction will begin between 2030 and 2034 and the total project will cost about $39.6 million.

 

Project 14—CR 475 will be widened to four lanes over 2.2 miles, from Southeast 1st Avenue to Southeast 59th Street. Construction will begin between 2035 and 2039 and the total project will cost about $21.1 million.

 

Project 20—Southwest 92nd Loop will have a new 2.2-mile four-lane extension until US 301. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $25.1 million.

 

Project 21—Banyan Road will have a new 0.7-mile two-lane extension until Pecan Pass. Construction will begin between 2040 and 2044 and the total project will cost about $7.5 million.