Media Release

​ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County is alerting and inviting citizens to participate in the Interstate 75 Relief Task Force. The next Task Force meeting will be held on January 25, 2016, at 9 a.m. at the Crystal River National Guard Armory (8551 West Venable Street, Crystal River, Florida).

The meeting will include County presentations on priorities and visions for near and long-term planning in the areas of conservation, countryside, centers and communities, and corridors (the 4 Cs). Commissioner Charles Chestnut, IV is representing the Alachua County Commission on the task force.

Details about the 4 C topics:

• Conservation - Critical natural resources (land/water/habitat/etc.) in the county; how is the county preserving these resources for the future?  
• Countryside – What are the major agricultural resources and other rural lands important to the county’s economy and quality of life?  How are counties working to preserve these lands in the future?
• Centers and Communities – What are the major population and employment centers in counties today? What do counties see as the emerging centers of tomorrow?  How do counties also plan for the future of smaller towns and rural developments?
• Corridors – Where do counties need to better connect existing conservation lands, agricultural lands, or population and employment centers?  What major concerns do counties have about the existing transportation corridors in the study area?  What major transportation investments have counties already identified in this study area?

The purpose of the Task Force is to provide consensus recommendations on maximizing existing and developing new high-capacity transportation corridors to serve the Tampa Bay-Northeast Florida study area with initial emphasis on the region west of Interstate 75.

Citizens can find out more information by visiting theI-75 Relief website. 

Those not able to attend but wanting to communicate their viewpoints, should contact Commissioner Chestnut at 352-264-6900 or cschestnut@alachuacounty.us. The entire County Commission can be reached at bocc@alachuacounty.us.

For more information or to submit comments to I-75 Relief, contact Project Manager Huiwei Shen at 850-414-4911 or Huiwei.Shen@dot.state.fl.us.

Media inquiries should be directed to Communications Director Dick Kane at 850-414-4590 or Dick.Kane@dot.state.fl.us.