APRIL FOOLS’ DAY. Following two record-breaking days of attendance to close the 2013 Florida Strawberry Festival, state and local transportation officials quickly drafted a plan that would keep Interstate 4 running smoothly during next year’s event.
Florida Department of Traffic officials, working in conjunction with Plant City council members and local traffic experts, approved today a plan to create the state’s first interstate roundabout in Plant City.
In keeping with the strawberry theme, the $75 million roundabout will be designed in the shape of a strawberry. Its stem will extend south from Interstate 4 between the Branch Forbes Road and Thonotosassa Road exits. From there, traffic will flow south, into Plant City, on the roundabout.
Similar to portions of Tampa’s Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, the roundabout will be built above the existing city streets. The strawberry will tower above the festival fairgrounds and surrounding businesses and organizations, including Tomlin Middle School, area medical offices and restaurants.
Visitors will be able to exit into Plant City from at least three exits — Oak Avenue, Cleveland Street and West Risk Street.
The roundabout idea came to fruition quickly, following the traffic jam the festival caused during its final two days. With perfect weather and headlining entertainment that included superstar Blake Shelton, the festival attracted nearly 200,000 people in its final weekend. Because construction needs to begin immediately for completion by next year’s festival, officials fast-tracked the idea, bypassing any public hearings. Construction crews will break ground by the end of the month.
With the city’s transportation budget already allocated to other needs, city officials plan to pay for the roundabout via a 3-cent sales-tax referendum. And because the roundabout will be a toll road, it will continue to be a moneymaker for the area, officials said.
Festival leaders say they are excited about the idea and already are speaking with officials from Bell City Midway about a series of rides and roller coasters that would zoom riders over, under and through the roundabout.
For detailed renderings or to offer your responses directly to Plant City officials, please click here.vzlom-pochty.com