SUMMARY Virtual Public Workshop May 25, 2021 through June 15, 2021 I-4 Wildlife Crossing Design Project Financial Project Identification Number: 201214-8-52-01
LOCATION: Virtual at www.swflroads.com/i4/wildlifecrossing Completely online; no live component
TIME: On going from May 25, 2021 (8 a.m.) through June 15, 2021 (11:59 p.m.)
ATTENDEES: 18 Attendees Signed In
PROJECT TEAM: Doug Burkhart, P.E. - FDOT (Project Manager) Dave Panigraphhi, P.E. - Lochner (Consultant Project Manager) Laura Turner, AICP - Laura Turner Planning Services
PREPARED BY: Laura Turner
Date: July 7, 2021
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is completing the design for the I-4 wildlife crossing located within the City of Lakeland in Polk County. As part of the 1998 Environmental Assessment (EA) for I-4 from the Hillsborough County Line to the Osceola County Line, FDOT committed to the construction of a wildlife crossing near Saddle Creek and the Tenoroc Management Area. Coordination with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) was conducted to determine the appropriate wildlife crossing location alternatives.
The preferred location for the Saddle Creek/Tenoroc Management Area wildlife crossing is located approximately 1.6 miles east of the I-4/State Road 33 interchange. The wildlife crossing consists of a 44-foot wide bridge crossing over I-4. The project is approximately 1,700 feet in length.
The Virtual Public Workshop was held to present project information and to receive public input regarding the proposed design plans. This summary includes the highlights of the notification process, information provided during the workshop, and the submitted comments.
Virtual Public Workshop Notification
Several notification techniques were used to publicize the virtual public workshop, which are summarized in Figure 1. Generally, the workshop was publicized through: advertisements (Florida Administrative Register and Lakeland Ledger); website announcements (www.fdot.gov and www.swflroads.com); emails to elected and appointed officials with the project newsletter (see Figure 2); the newsletter mailed to property owners and tenants; and a news release (emailed to Polk County media outlets).