Tallahassee 2 Atlanta|North

[FlaNatv]

Are there any new expressways planned or talked about for Tallahassee? Like a beltway or a spur into downtown. Also I wonder if the Turnpike will ever make it to Tallahassee and join I-10. That might ease some traffic on I-75.

[cityboy05]

I think, there is a proposal for the turnpike to extend all they way to Tallahassee. I really think that is needed. Not only will it rid traffic for I-75, it will take away time for Northwestern Floridians, and the Western U.S. to get to south Florida, and about new eexpressways. I don't know and haven't heard any news about that. I do know the city is expanding Capital Circle SE a major road or should I say highway for the city of Tallahasee. It should be completed October 2007.

[Florida]

WOW! What great questions here! I've long thought the inital planned route for I-10 that ran along the current Gaines Street Route would have been best, but we can't reverse the past. I've studied maps and I've determined the best overall spur route for I-1o is already in use by Thomasville road, that is if we were to have access from I-1o to the downtown. However there is a good idea to run a spur from West of Tallahassee, south of I-10 parallel to Capital Circle, west of the airport all the way to the coastal highway 98. For Tallahassee this route would enhance access to the Airport, and S. Tallahassee, but more importantly it would better link areas south such as Wakulla and Franklyn Counties, two with very high growth, with I-10 and Tallahassee.

Here's a look at a possibility...

For the Turnpike Extension... they could possibly do more in making US 27 South of Tallahassee more express-like. Here's a look at what could be.

[cityboy05]

I really hope they can approve this. I think this will defintely boost the big bend area. defintely

[bobliocatt]

However there is a good idea to run a spur from West of Tallahassee, south of I-10 parallel to Capital Circle, west of the airport all the way to the coastal highway 98. For Tallahassee this route would enhance access to the Airport, and S. Tallahassee, but more importantly it would better link areas south such as Wakulla and Franklyn Counties, two with very high growth, with I-10 and Tallahassee.

Interesting concept. I agree that it would provide better access to the airport, I-10, Franklin and Wakulla Counties. Do you think environmentalist and Wakulla County residents who value their rural settings, would fight tooth and nail to keep an expressway from going through the Apalachicola National Forest?

[Florida]

^I think the Enviornmentalist in Leon County would put up the biggest fight honestly. It seems the people in Wakulla County and Counties south would support quicker access to the interstate. When I think of a road cutting through a National Forrest I can't help but think about the national Forest I-10 cuts through on the way to Jacksonville. If you could get St. Joe (Arvida) to support this idea it would get done in a snap... they've got some pull for some "odd reason".

[bobliocatt]

If you could get St. Joe (Arvida) to support this idea it would get done in a snap... they've got some pull for some "odd reason".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

^Its easy....they've been the majority land owner and a major employer in the Panhandle for several decades. There's a good chance that most in those counties work or have worked for them or in their old paper mills somewhere in their lifetimes.

[Florida]

^good point... I wonder if they are using the wood from these cleared properties for their projects, or maybe they still have paper operations somewhere.

[Aessotariq]

While there are no major projects like the ones being dreamt up in this forum (yet?), two notable projects that DOT has on the table are widening I-10 and Capital Circle to 6 lanes.

I very seriously doubt that a route as "direct" as TaureanJ drew on the map in blue would/could/should ever be created: 1) that's national forest, federally protected land, serious impact on wildlife. Expanding the existing State Road 40 through the Ocala National Forest from its two lanes with the occasional passing lane to four has been very contentious. A brand new highway would face worse obstacles, and 2) it's better to parallel existing routes.

So here is my hypothetical. If Capital Circle were converted into an expressway (like a Polk Parkway around Lakeland?), any spur route to points south should spur off the beltway rather than directly from I-10. It should parallel US 319. Not only does that keep the road out of the forest, but it also makes the route more accessible from an equal distance to both eastbound and westbound I-10 motorists, and if you're heading northbound you won't be on the west side of town if you're trying to head to someplace east of town.

[bobliocatt]

All in all, it would take a significant amount of private money to build an expressway from I-10 to the Gulf, via Tallahassee and Wakulla Counties, because there isn't enough people, development or traffic congestion, in that particular area, for the state of justify spending millions on an expressway.

[Florida]

While there are no major projects like the ones being dreamt up in this forum (yet?), two notable projects that DOT has on the table are widening I-10 and Capital Circle to 6 lanes.

I very seriously doubt that a route as "direct" as TaureanJ drew on the map in blue would/could/should ever be created:  1) that's national forest, federally protected land, serious impact on wildlife. Expanding the existing State Road 40 through the Ocala National Forest from its two lanes with the occasional passing lane to four has been very contentious. A brand new highway would face worse obstacles, and 2) it's better to parallel existing routes.

So here is my hypothetical. If Capital Circle were converted into an expressway (like a Polk Parkway around Lakeland?), any spur route to points south should spur off the beltway rather than directly from I-10. It should parallel US 319. Not only does that keep the road out of the forest, but it also makes the route more accessible from an equal distance to both eastbound and westbound I-10 motorists, and if you're heading northbound you won't be on the west side of town if you're trying to head to someplace east of town.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, this whole discussion of an Expressway is dreamy. But I agree it would make more since to use Capital Circle to spur into the southern counties as we currently do. Of course I hope the work on Capital Circle is completed sometime in the near future for people who must do this, to end their "stop and go" troubles.

[bobliocatt]

Is all of Captiol Circle being expanded into six lanes?

[Florida]

^Thats the plan.

[97preludesh]

Damn, why cant tallahassee explode, i want it to be orlando, with huge sprawl and toll ways everywhere, and amusements.. seriously, comeon go!

[Florida]

WHOA!!!!!!!!!! Slow down! No one wants toll roads!!

[97preludesh]

yes we do, relieves traffic, cheap asses sit n traffic

[ATLman1]

Georgia and Florida need to get together to discuss extending I-185 south from Columbus to Tallahassee. That road makes a lot of sense to me. It is a 4-lane highway from Columbus to Tallahassee already, but an interstate would be much better. Tallahassee seems isolated when it comes to north/south travel. Plus, it would give you guys a more direct route to Atlanta.

[Florida]

I agree. I've driven to Atlanta that way and I think its a pain to have to slow down and speed up and slow down and speed up. There's a lonely feeling about traveling north, despite how beautiful it is in certain areas.

[Florida]

In terms of northern routes to Altlanta, I'd like to see one of the following highways converted into an interstate.

The Green would be my preference because of my travels between Tallahassee and Macon. However, I'd take the blue also as ATL man has suggested. I think the Green would be more likely to occur, so to speak, I could see the communities within the triange created, begin to thrive from the enhanced trade route.

I'm all about the green, how about you all?

[psycuda]

I think, there is a proposal for the turnpike to extend all they way to Tallahassee. I really think that is needed. Not only will it rid traffic for I-75, it will take away time for Northwestern Floridians, and the Western U.S. to get to south Florida, and about new eexpressways. I don't know and haven't heard any news about that. I do know the city is expanding Capital Circle SE a major road or should I say highway for the city of Tallahasee. It should be completed October 2007.

A few years back there was discussion about extendingthe turnpike from Wildwood to 19 in Levy County but the locals there blocked it, so that probably won't happen.

[Jahi98]

The blue route is cool. I'd connect it with Capital Circle, though, and turn Capital Circle into a limited access expressway around the city -- maybe even tie in an extension of the Florida Turnpike (if that ever happens) with the Capital Circle Expressway in the SE portion of the city.

The green route is probably the most-used currently, and might get more support.

Maybe both could get built. Take I-185/US 27 down to Capital Circle NW, loop around Tallahassee, then back up US 319 to Tifton (I-75). LOL

[Florida]

The blue route is cool. I'd connect it with Capital Circle, though, and turn Capital Circle into a limited access expressway around the city -- maybe even tie in an extension of the Florida Turnpike (if that ever happens) with the Capital Circle Expressway in the SE portion of the city.

The green route is probably the most-used currently, and might get more support.

Maybe both could get built. Take I-185/US 27 down to Capital Circle NW, loop around Tallahassee, then back up US 319 to Tifton (I-75). LOL

Something like this?

Interestingly, all of 319 through Tallahassee and 27, is already a divided highway, favorable for a conversion into an interstate. With exception of 27 thru Havana, this project would be a breeze from a engineering standpoint. I'm not sure what sits in the way thru the western GA portion that goes toward Columbus. The Eastern half going toward Thomasville, Tifton, and I-75 should be easy to convert also... not much development along that strip and a good portion of the road is already divided.

[asonj23]

Damn, why cant tallahassee explode, i want it to be orlando, with huge sprawl and toll ways everywhere, and amusements.. seriously, comeon go!

Tally is on the rise. Just be patient.

Just look at the projects on the books right now. It is actually quite impressive for a city her size.

The larger cities in Florida have all burst the population sprawl bubble and are growing taller from the center out. Tally hasn't quite hit that point because it is still pretty easy to get into town with a short drive as compared to the larger metros. If these gas prices continue to rise get ready for a serious height explosion in the DT.

[Florida]

Absolutely! We are very fortunate to not have some of the grow pains of other major Florida cities. And like you said, the pattern of rising gas prices will continue to be a driving force for our communities to expand up and not outward.

I sure would love to see Florida take the lead in Hydrogen fuel cell development. And of course, we shouldn't forget about our high speed rail, which is why Im not so wild about the turn pike extension, more than I am about the route to the north. The roads north thru Tallahassee are adequate, it is when you cross over into GA that things slow down. It would be nice to be able to travel these stretches without the stop and go, and the slow down speed trap stuff.

[ATLman1]

Something like this?

Interestingly, all of 319 through Tallahassee and 27, is already a divided highway, favorable for a conversion into an interstate. With exception of 27 thru Havana, this project would be a breeze from a engineering standpoint. I'm not sure what sits in the way thru the western GA portion that goes toward Columbus. The Eastern half going toward Thomasville, Tifton, and I-75 should be easy to convert also... not much development along that strip and a good portion of the road is already divided.

Highway 27 is being 4-laned from Cusseta, which is right outside of Fort Benning. I know they have completed it all of the way down to Cuthbert. I think a lot of the road is under construction from that point. The whole idea is to have U.S. 27 4-laned from Tennessee to Florida. The next portion is the 4-laning 27 north of Columbus to LaGrange. This will take a lot longer since many homes will have to be purchased in the Columbus city limits. The portion from Cusseta to Cuthbert could be turned into an interstate without of problem. A local news station did a story on extended I-185 south and the GA DOT is looking into it. It will take many years though if they decide to. The next big interstate they are concerned with is I-14 which will run from Augusta to Macon to Columbus to Montgomery and then on to Mississippi. I hope they extend I-185 too!!