Marion County requests state funding for five major projects

The Florida State Fire College, whose rescue tower is shown in the middle of their campus, poisoned the wells of nearby homes in Lowell, Florida with the fire retardant foam the firefighters train with. For the past several years, residents have been drinking bottled water and waiting for filtration systems. [Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette]

As the state’s 2024 legislative session nears an end, Marion County-area representatives in Florida’s Senate and House have sponsored several requests for five major improvement projects ranging from better roads to a new office for the medical examiner.

The projects, some of which are slated to begin this year, will require a match of nearly $10 million in county funds.

The appropriations measures that are passed by the Florida Legislature will comprise the state’s budget, once the session ends on March 8.

Lowell Area Municipal Drinking Water Project

The county is requesting $7 million through the Florida Senate for designing, permitting and constructing a water line extension into the area of Lowell, which will include the Florida State Fire College.

The request is being sponsored by Florida Sen. Keith Perry, R-Alachua, and Florida Rep. Bobby Payne, R-Putnam.

“The Lowell area has been identified with soil contamination detected above (Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s) provisional cleanup target levels. Marion County has developed a concept plan to extend a centralized potable water system into the Lowell area, which would provide clean drinking water to the citizens within the area, to include the State Fire College and other state-run facilities in the vicinity,” according to the request.

The county will match $1,319,320 in funds locally to complete the project. The 12-inch water line extension will span 6.73 miles with valves, fire hydrants and a water booster station, according to the request.

Lowell was first identified as a contaminated location in 2018 after fire suppression contaminants used at the fire college contaminated the wells of Lowell-area residents.

Construction is anticipated to begin in November 2024 and end in November 2025.

Roadway Improvements—Northwest 49th Street

The county is requesting $2,475,934 in funding from the state through the Florida Senate for road and utility design for Northwest 49th Street, for a 3.4-mile section spanning from County Road 225 until Northwest 44th Avenue.

This project is just one section of the corridor project for Southwest/Northwest 80th and 70th Avenue and 49th Street that is expected to alleviate traffic congestion on Interstate 75 and near the World Equestrian Center. The total cost of the corridor project is estimated at $140 million.

The request is being sponsored by Perry and Florida Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Marion.

The county will match $1,924,000 in funds locally to complete the project. This project previously received state funding after an appropriations request was granted for $1 million in 2023-2024.

“The project will expand some segments from two lanes to four lanes, build four lanes where no road exists and relocate and interconnect water and sewer utilities at this same time to provide for much-needed septic-to-sewer connections,” according to the request.

Construction is anticipated to begin in January 2025 and end in April 2026.

The county said it will also be requesting $10 million in funding from the state in the future for the construction of the project.

“These road improvements will benefit the estimated 80,000 people I-75 moves through the county daily by reducing traffic and congestion caused by local travelers,” according to the request.

New Medical Examiner Building

The county is requesting $2,860,000 in funding from the state through the Florida Senate for the planning and design of a new medical examiner building for Districts 5 and 24.

Despite efforts to expand the existing medical examiner’s building, which was built in 1999, the 9,244-square-foot building has been deemed too small and inefficient to continue using.

“The proposed new building will be 30,000 square feet and include a morgue and an administrative section. It will also allow for future expansion. The funds requested will be used for architectural and engineering design services for the new facility,” according to the request.

The request is being sponsored by Perry and Florida Rep. Stan McClain, R-Marion.

The county will match $3 million in funds locally to complete the project. The project is predicted to need $10 million in funding in the future, which the medical examiner districts plan to secure through bonds.

The new building will benefit the growing districts, which have a combined population of 1.8 million. The county also said it intends for the new building to help the state attorney’s office complete more timely criminal prosecutions.

Marion County is the caretaker of the Districts 5 and 24 medical examiner office, and would own and maintain the building.

The county previously discussed requesting funding from the state for a new EMS and fire station but instead decided on a new medical examiner’s office, as the fire station project can be funded through other avenues.

Construction is anticipated to begin in June 2024 and end in December 2025.

Marion County Judicial Center Expansion

The county is requesting $2.8 million from the state through the Florida Senate to expand the Marion County Judicial Center. The request is sponsored by Chamberlain and Perry.

“The State Attorney’s Office for the 5th Judicial Circuit has reached capacity in its portion of the Marion County Judicial Center and is requesting to expand part of the fourth floor to accommodate their needs, which include the construction of new office space and a grand jury courtroom,” according to the request.

By expanding the floor and creating a new grand jury courtroom, the 5th Judicial Circuit will no longer need to use the trial courtroom, allowing them to hear multiple cases simultaneously.

The county will match $3.2 million in funds locally to complete the project. Planning and design for this project are completely done and it is ready to begin construction and accept a bid.

The 5th Judicial Circuit is made up of Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus and Hernando counties with 1.3 million residents.

Construction is anticipated to begin in March 2024 and end in November 2024.

Roadway Improvements— Southwest 80th Avenue

The county has requested $2 million from the state through the Florida House of Representatives for road and utility design for improvements to Southwest 80th Avenue, for a two-mile portion spanning from north of Southwest 38th Street through State Road 40.

This project is part of an overall project for this roadway to alleviate traffic congestion on I-75, in addition to alleviating traffic caused by travelers entering and exiting the Florida Aquatic Swimming and Training facility The overall project is estimated to cost $140 million.

The county will match $540,161 in funds locally to complete the project.

The request is sponsored by McClain and Perry.

The county said it anticipates it will need four more years of state support for this project, and will additionally request between $3 million and $10 million in funding to complete the task.