Marion County officials on Oct. 7 received a presentation on the Marion Oaks Manor Extension Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study and were told a public workshop will be held Oct. 23 at the Marion Oaks Community Center from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The presentation, led by Steven Cahoon, Marion County engineer, and Ally Bridal of consultant Kimley Horn, outlined two remaining corridor alternatives — widening to the north (Alternative A) or to the south (Alternative B) — and described typical cross sections that would provide two travel lanes in each direction, paved shoulders, a 12-foot shared-use path and a wide median. "This slide shows kind of the general project location," Bridal said as she described the corridor from the future connection to Southwest 40th Ninth Court Road east over I‑75 to County Road 475.

Why it matters: The project is included in the county’s long-range planning and aims to provide a new connection between the Marion Oaks area and communities east of I‑75. County staff and Kimley Horn said the PD&E process will evaluate engineering, right-of-way needs, environmental impacts, social effects and costs, with oversight by the Florida Department of Transportation’s PD&E procedures.

The two build alternatives differ in how the roadway footprint is achieved: a center-widening option was considered earlier but abandoned because it would require takings and temporary construction easements on both sides of the corridor. The two current options would either shift most widening to the north or to the south; Bridal said the concepts keep common elements (shared path, sidewalks on the south side, curb and gutter) while differing in which side receives additional right-of-way.

School access and buffering were central constraints discussed. Bridal said prior approvals for a planned high school require maintaining an existing vegetation buffer between the Summerglen neighborhood and the school. "We have maintained that through these concepts," she said, noting a 75-foot tree buffer that the county has agreed to preserve. The presentation showed three proposed school driveways — a west driveway aligned with Southwest 15th Court with a directional median opening, a center right-in/right-out driveway, and a main eastern driveway tied to a proposed roundabout intended to serve the school car line and parking.

Commissioner Curry asked about property impacts and whether takings were expected. Cahoon answered that the county will not know the extent of property impacts until a preferred alignment (north or south) is selected, and that property impacts will be part of the alternatives evaluation.

Kimley Horn’s materials also showed intersection concepts along the corridor, including a multi-lane roundabout at Marion Oaks Boulevard, and a signalized intersection proposed at the eastern terminus at County Road 42 and County Road 475; Bridal said the signal was preferred after evaluating heavy turning movements but that intersection design remains under study. She also said the I‑75 overpass portion of the design will be narrowed relative to the typical 120-foot corridor section to minimize impacts while maintaining required vertical clearance and space for future turn lanes.

Drainage siting was described as dependent on the chosen alternative; Bridal presented preliminary preferred and alternate drainage-retention areas (DRA) and said the county has already begun early, voluntary outreach to property owners near some DRA locations. Cahoon added the county is pursuing a design‑build delivery to accelerate construction, saying the approach is intended to "shave 3 to 5 years off" the schedule and that staff hopes to move quickly once designs and approvals are complete.

No formal decisions were taken during the workshop presentation. Bridal reiterated that "nothing is final. Nothing's been determined at this point," and staff said public input at the Oct. 23 meeting and the ongoing alternatives analysis will inform next steps. The presentation noted the county expects to continue FDOT’s environmental certification process over the next year and targets project completion and reporting in 2027.

The commission did not vote on any item during the session; staff said they will return with further analysis after public and stakeholder input.

Asked about travel changes for Summerglen residents, Bridal said residents would retain right-in access to the neighborhood’s rear entrance but would not be permitted to make a left turn out onto a paved arterial at that location; residents could make a right turn and use a proposed roundabout less than a half mile away to reverse direction if needed. Cahoon confirmed the county will maintain the 75-foot tree buffer between the neighborhood and the new roadway alignment as reflected in the concepts shown to the commission.

Next steps: public workshop Oct. 23 at Marion Oaks Community Center, continued alternatives and drainage analysis, FDOT PD&E environmental review, further public outreach and return to the commission with recommendations ahead of design and potential design‑build procurement.