Citrus commissioners grill FDOT on Suncoast Parkway fill sourcing as residents warn of sand-mining risks

The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners heard a detailed briefing Tuesday from Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) staff about fill sourcing for the Suncoast Parkway extension and an FDOT request to add flexibility in how fill could be obtained.

The request, FDOT officials said, was intended to give the agency options if contractor-supplied fill proved insufficient, including buying or using properties close to the project for staging and fill, or acquiring fill through contractors. Justin Hall, secretary of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, told the board, “This request before you today adds a valuable tool to our toolbox to allow for greater flexibility in the event that the total amount of fill cannot be met by the currently planned sources through our contractors.”

Why it matters: Commissioners said the county needs the extension to relieve long-running traffic problems but warned that broad exemptions or fast-tracked land-use changes could open the door to sand-mining activity near neighborhoods and springs. More than two dozen residents from Pine Ridge, Beverly Hills and Crystal River attended the meeting and repeatedly raised concerns about water quality, noise, dust and traffic tied to potential…