COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Could a new highway be built in Southwest Florida? It might - if a bill proposing three new highways in the state is successful. One of those would create a direct corridor connecting Polk County to Collier County.
Nicole Johnson, director of environmental policy for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, said that the idea for a new highway in the area has been around for about a decade. She believes the new road would be too expensive, and would wipe out crucial wildlife habitat forever.
"When you put roads in, development and sprawl follow," Johnson said. "You have a lot of habitat that is essential, such as for the endangered Florida panther."
State Senator Bill Galvano, a Republican from Bradenton, is the main supporter for a new highway linking central and Southwest Florida.
In response to an interview request with Galvano, one his staff members said he was not available. But the staffer forwarded Fox 4 a memo from the senator, reading in part:
"The time has come to prioritize these critical infrastructure enhancements...with innovations that enhance surrounding communities...providing new opportunities for job creation," Galvano wrote.
The memo also cites the proposed road's importance as an evacuation route: "Our experience with hurricanes has taught us how intrinsically linked infrastructure is to security, preparation and recovery."
The other proposed highways are a connector between Citrus and Jefferson Counties, and a westward expansion of Florida's turnpike from Wildwood. If the bill passes, construction on the new roads could begin sometime in late 2022.
