Comments by Commissioner Nikki Fried, Task Force Appointees on Florida M-CORES Toll Road Project

Tallahassee Fla. — This week, three M-CORES Task Forces submitted their final reports to the Governor on the development of a new 330-mile toll road system in Florida.

The task forces did not conclude “that there is a specific need” for these new potential corridors, and the project been called “flawed,” “a callous preference for special interests,” which “falls short of the mandate … to protect the environment and revitalize rural communities” and faces “overwhelming opposition” from Florida residents.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, and her three appointees to the M-CORES Task Forces, offered the following comments on the project.

Commissioner Nikki Fried: “While I recognize the importance of long-range planning for future population growth and the need for economic development, I am troubled by M-CORES’ overwhelming lack of support, lack of demonstrated need, and the millions in general revenue diverted from a state budget facing economic shortfalls reminiscent of the Great Recession. As Florida deals with billions in projected revenue losses due to COVID-19, this project would put an unnecessary strain on the state's ability to fund urgent priorities.

Just as compelling are the effects these unnecessary toll roads will have on Florida's environment and agricultural lands, with the potential to destroy millions of acres of farmland, state forests, and wetlands in their paths. This project threatens the unique character of our state’s rural lands and last undeveloped landscapes. I urge Secretary Thibault and the Governor to listen to over 10,000 Florida residents who have voiced their opposition to M-CORES and utilize the 'no build' option. We cannot afford to divert money into more toll roads while millions of Floridians continue to suffer.”

Mayor Matt Surrency, City of Hawthorne (Turnpike Task Force): “While the mission of the M-CORES task forces was to determine if a need exists based on hurricane evacuation, economic opportunity, environmental revitalization, and using the right of way to connect communities with infrastructure, I believe very few of these issues would be addressed to the scale that would make a significant difference for the study area. The infrastructure promises in this project are not guarantees for the communities within the corridor, with FDOT only committing to provide right of way access for connectivity.

Funding would be better spent building and upgrading schools that can be utilized as hurricane shelters, creating additional economic development in rural communities, small businesses, and the rural workforce, and improving access to rural broadband, which provides for economic opportunity and upward mobility. While some areas could see environmental restoration, none were specifically identified. Florida should seek to maximize our current corridors and redesign them with innovative, environmentally responsible approaches.”

Former Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan, City of Gainesville (Suncoast Task Force): “Ultimately, I don't think the case has been made that M-CORES and this new section of Turnpike is needed, and it has many negative potential impacts to a part of our state that is truly special. While these communities do need access to broadband, economic development, water and wastewater infrastructure, springs protection, trails, and many of the other promised benefits, a toll road is not a direct route to achieving these goals. While some existing roads along the proposed route may need improvement, based on my 12 years on our local Transportation Planning Organization, I believe the M-CORES toll road proposal has bypassed the tried-and-true process of roadway conception, in which the need is justified on the basis of traffic demand. This project may have been a priority of the Senate President and the House Speaker, but to the Legislature’s credit, they had the public policy interest to impanel three diverse task forces to study these 330 miles of new proposed toll roads.

I hope those in this process will have the willingness to listen to the articulated concerns, aspirations and values that were expressed. I do applaud the professionalism and dedication of the FDOT personnel on this project, and I thank Commissioner Fried for appointing me to this task force.”

Former Commissioner Janet Taylor, Hendry County Commission (Southwest-Central Task Force): “From where I sit in rural Hendry County, I cannot see any appreciable benefit to our community from the M-CORES project. Our region is home to hundreds of thousands of acres of environmentally-sensitive agricultural lands which could be threatened by the development of new toll roads. The people of our communities, particularly people of color, are in need of investment and economic development that I believe the proposed corridors simply won’t deliver. At a time in which Floridians, especially those in rural communities like ours, are facing long-term economic and health hardships from a raging pandemic, I don’t believe that spending millions of dollars on pay-to-play roads to nowhere is the right priority at all. That was my message on the task force, and that’s my message to the Department of Transportation and the Governor.”

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