Planners do the Turkey Oak trot

“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” — Doc Brown to Marty McFly.

Not sure where Doc was headed, but it sure wasn’t Citrus County.

We need roads. Not necessarily new roads, but at least an overhaul of the roads we have.

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Take Turkey Oak Drive for example. Much has been said and written about this road being a possible bypass around Crystal River. 

But every planning decision would suggest that’s the last thing it’ll be used for. A big RV camp across Turkey Oak from the Crystal River Mall property is coming in and we know the county is hoping to unload 350 acres to a housing developer. I see a for sale signs in front of vacant land along Turkey Oak.

Clearly, landowners see it as anything but a bypass.

A year ago the city of Crystal River felt so sure of its bypass material that it asked the Legislature for $20.7 million to spruce up the intersections to allow for a free flow of traffic. Unfortunately Gov. Ron DeSantis, who clearly has never driven on Turkey Oak, vetoed the money.

The Citrus-Hernando Metropolitan Planning Organization in fall 2021 commissioned a $248,500 study to find out where the parkway traffic is headed after it reaches State Road 44, and what improvements to Turkey Oak are needed to divert traffic from busy city roads, particularly S.R. 44 and U.S. 19.

Since then, crickets. Once DeSantis vetoed the big money, it seems the entire idea went away.

The study, by Kimley-Horn and Associates, completed its first phase in July and nary a word was said. The city’s feeling was that the study lost its punch with DeSantis’ veto.

What did that first part say? Basically, the obvious: Turkey Oak shouldn’t be a bypass in its current condition. The pavement west of Citrus Avenue is in poor shape and the Turkey Oak intersections at Citrus Avenue and S.R. 44 need improvement, as anyone who utilizes that road with any frequency knows.

While the MPO is moving forward with the second phase — determining where Suncoast Parkway drivers are headed once they reach S.R. 44 — it no longer has faith in Turkey Oak for a bypass.

MPO Executive Director Bob Esposito said as much in an email to Commissioner Rebecca Bays:

“The MPO Board decided not to spend the money on finalizing the Phase 1 study and issuing a report for two reasons: 1) the governor vetoed the $20,700,000 earmark and 2) the Suncoast Parkway extension will act as the bypass for Crystal River.”

Well, there you go. No money for a Turkey Oak bypass and the parkway, which is now fully funded for construction to U.S. 19, will serve as the bypass anyway.

Logic says that’s exactly what will happen. Anyone wanting to get north and south without venturing through Crystal River can do that once the parkway is complete.

But here’s the rub: Even without making Turkey Oak an official bypass, it still works for local traffic and the problems the study revealed are still there. There’s a left turn lane on Turkey Oak at Citrus Avenue in one direction but no left turn lane headed from the other direction. And cars are often backed up turning left onto S.R. 44.

I’ve just spent several paragraphs breaking down one tiny aspect of Turkey Oak and haven’t even touched the surface. This road has numerous possibilities if used in a strategic way as both a bypass and local road. The fact it has sidewalks makes it ideal for residential growth.

I can hear you now: “Just Wright, why are you boring us with this Turkey Oak traffic study nonsense on a Monday morning?”

Here’s why: Growth is forcing us to get a handle on our road needs. 

Turkey Oak is Exhibit A of my suggestion for a countywide transportation master plan, one that includes both cities and the county. We need a plan that identifies our needs today, the ones we’re likely to face tomorrow, and how we’re going to pay for all that.

Crystal River didn’t create the traffic nightmares and it shouldn’t be its job alone to solve them.

Turkey Oak has a purpose for Crystal River and the rest of us. Maybe it’s a bypass and maybe it’s more of a boulevard. Or neither.

We need transportation experts to guide us through it. The MPO already is paying a consultant to tie in local traffic with the parkway. And we have one commissioner, Rebecca Bays, who is locked in on the traffic issue.

Unlike Doc and Marty, we need roads. Now and in the future.

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