Heartland Parkway Explained

Heartland Parkway
Map:Heartland Parkway corridor study area.png
Map Notes:Corridor study area for the proposed Heartland Parkway in 2006-2007
State:FL

Heartland Parkway was a planned controlled-access toll road consisting of approximately 110- from near the Polk-Osceola County line in central Florida to the Fort Myers–Naples area of southwest Florida, through rural portions of Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Glades, Lee, and possibly Collier counties.[1] The proposed corridor has been in planning since 2006 with the project revived and abandoned multiple times until its most recent abandonment in 2021.[2]

Background

The mention of building a "Heartland Parkway" route spans several decades. Between 2006-2007, preliminary planning and corridor studies were performed by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise in Central Florida to evaluate interregional toll routes. The studies consisted of Heartland Parkway, Polk Parkway Southeast Extension, and the Coast to Coast toll road. Alligator Alley and several two-lane rural roads can transport millions of people living in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties away from the Gulf coast.[3]

As of 2023, the only viable north–south trucking route away from the east coast is U.S. Highway 27. In Polk County, that highway is seen as the deadliest road in the county in part due to the large volume of truck traffic and high speeds. Its popularity amongst truckers stems from its intersections with several major highways and its avoidance of major cities.[4]

The Heartland Environmental Agricultural Rural Task Force (HEART), an organization representing landowners pushing for the construction of the Heartland Parkway, has put forth some studies that they believe necessitate the construction of such a parkway. Some of the key points from the 2006-2007 studies included:[5]

Criticism

Support for the construction of the parkway has ebbed and flowed. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush was a proponent of this parkway, but his successor, governor Charlie Crist never expressed interest in its creation.[6] Criticism for the proposed parkway has largely stemmed from concern of the environmentally sensitive areas and concern that rural areas it would traverse would be exploited by developers.[7] [8]

A major proponent of the Heartland Parkway was J. D. Alexander, a state legislator from 1998 to 2012, from eastern Polk County. Until 2012,[9] Alexander was CEO of Atlantic Blue Group, which owns tens of thousands of acres of property along or near the proposed alignment.[10] [11] In his final year in office (due to term limits) and while Alexander was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, a total of $34.7 million was allocated for the parkway in the state's 2012 and 2014 budgets despite no request from the Florida Department of Transportation.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Heartland Parkway - Preliminary Planning and Feasibility Analysis . May 2007 . Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise . January 14, 2020 . August 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200801080758/https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/procurement/m-cores/heartland-pkwy-prelim-analysis.pdf?sfvrsn=e3285072_2 . dead .
  2. Web site: November 29, 2023 . Controversial plan to expand toll roads hits dead end over environmental, cost concerns . April 27, 2021 . WTSP-TV . Josh . Sidorowicz.
  3. Web site: Major inter-regional TRs under study for central Florida . June 18, 2006 . Tolls Roads News . January 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071016175055/http://tollroadsnews.info/artman/publish/article_1410.shtml . October 16, 2007 . dead .
  4. Web site: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
  5. Web site: Polk County News Blog: Check Out Group's "Guiding Principles" for Heartland Parkway . August 28, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080403194258/http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/check-out-groups-guiding-principles-for-heartland-parkway/ . April 3, 2008.
  6. Web site: January 7, 2020 . Heartland Parkway Proposal Stalls . https://web.archive.org/web/20090107102257/http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB8GLRIL1F.html . May 12, 2007 . Tampa Bay Times . January 7, 2009 . Townsend . Billy . dead.
  7. Web site: January 11, 2020 . Dantzler: Toll Road Can Limit Growth . May 22, 2007 . Dunn . Andrew . The Ledger . https://web.archive.org/web/20120213000757/http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070522/NEWS/705220382&SearchID=73281835133877 . February 13, 2012 . dead .
  8. News: Albers . Katherine . State DOT to renew study of Heartland Parkway, Collier to Orlando route - POLL . August 13, 2014 . Naples Daily News . August 14, 2011 .
  9. Web site: J. Alexander. https://web.archive.org/web/20140813154923/http://www.forbes.com/profile/j-alexander-1/ . dead . August 13, 2014 . Forbes . August 13, 2014.
  10. News: Van Sickler . Michael . Freedburg . Sydney . Bush post raises eyebrows . August 13, 2014 . Saint Petersburg Times . December 5, 2007.
  11. News: Hazards in Gov. Scott's road plan prevent smooth ride . August 13, 2014 . Orlando Sentinel . August 11, 2011.
  12. News: Van Sickler . Michael . Road JD Alexander fought for tucked into state budget . August 13, 2014 . Saint Petersburg Times . March 1, 2012.

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