Subject
This public hearing is being conducted to give interested persons an opportunity to express their views concerning the location, conceptual design, social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed improvements. This hearing will address changes in the project design, right-of-way acquisition, and adjacent property access per Ch. 335.199, Florida Statutes. The approved Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study recommended to rebuild the existing partial cloverleaf design interchange to an Arterial Separator Interchange. An Interchange Modification Report (IMR) has since been completed and approved by FHWA and this project will now propose to reconstruct the existing interchange with a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). This project proposes to widen about 2 miles of I-75, from Palmer Boulevard to north of Fruitville Road, to an eight-lane highway with four through lanes per direction and proposes to replace the existing bridges over Fruitville Road and proposes to widen 1.6 miles of Fruitville Road from Honore Avenue to east of Coburn Road to provide for a six-lane to eight-lane highway with three to four through lanes per direction as well as bike lanes. Minor right-of-way acquisition is required at the southwest corner of Fruitville Road at Cattlemen Road. The existing median opening at the eastern entrance to the Southgate Shopping Plaza proposes to be closed, as well as the existing median opening at Old Coburn Road.