Williston Mayor Jerry Robinson Discusses his proposed letter to the state.
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Williston City Council members have agreed to clarify a letter from Mayor Jerry Robinson concerning a potential bypass around the city if the Suncoast Connector toll road is built in Levy County.
Councilman Justin Head was asked by Council President Charles Goodman Tuesday to add language to the mayor’s letter indicating the city wants an opportunity to discuss the bypass if the state ever plans to build one.
Councilwoman Debra Jones said the way the letter was written it appeared the city was requesting a bypass. She said the only bypass the city agreed upon was to reroute large trucks around the city.
She said the rewrite of the letter should indicate the city isn’t requesting a bypass but wants “further discussions” with the Florida Department of Transportation if a bypass is ever proposed.
“We said if we had to have one we wanted one for trucks,” she said.
The letter isn’t intended as an invitation to build the toll road through the Williston area. It is a request for state financial assistance to deal the impact of increased traffic on Williston streets from the toll road.
“If the final route for the Suncoast Connector is in Levy County, it will greatly affect Williston with an increase of traffic flow,” Robinson’s letter said. “The City Council has agreed to the need for assistance for the following economic development projects for your consideration.”
- A traffic bypass, especially for the larger trucks, around that City that would allow for safe pedestrian traffic.
- The need for new infrastructure under Noble Ave. – U.S. 27/U.S. 41 – due to probable increased deterioration because of increased traffic on the existing street.
- Redesign of the intersection of Noble Ave. and Main Street which would also allow for safer pedestrian traffic within the City.
Head indicated he too had concerns about the way the letter addressed a potential bypass around the city.
“I don’t want a citizen to say I saw the letter and we want a bypass,” Head said. “I don’t want it to read we need a bypass. I read that in it.”
Head will bring back a rewrite of the letter to the next regular council meeting.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s M-CORES Program hasn’t designated an official route for the Suncoast Connector toll road. The Suncoast Connector Task Force is reviewing options for potential routes and taking public comment.
The original deadline for the task force to complete its work and submit a report to Gov. Ron DeSantis for review was Oct 1 this year, but the Suncoast Connector website indicates the date for submission of the report is to be announced.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the state produced a tentative map showing the toll road being constructed alongside U.S. 19 from Citrus County north to Jefferson County. U.S. 19 would remain a free road under the state’s plan.
The Chiefland City Commission wanted to get ahead of the curve in requesting its own form of assistance. The city sent a letter to Levy County Commission Chairman Matt Brooks, a member of the Suncoast Connector Task Force, asking the state to consider building a sewage treatment plant and an industrial park if the toll road goes around Chiefland and created major impacts the city can’t afford to fund on its own.
Robinson believes construction of the toll road anywhere in Levy County would probably generate additional traffic on Williston streets leading to increased costs for the city.
Goodman said he doesn’t think the state will fund any of the requested projects, and if it ever plans to build a bypass, the city won’t be able to stop it.
“When DOT says we’re going to make a bypass, they do it,” he said.
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City of Williston Regular Meeting May 19, 2020; Posted May 23, 2020
