Industrial Park Drive Ribbon Cutting
Sumter County Commissioners and local businesses joined together on Wednesday, June 5, for the official ribbon cutting of Industrial Park Drive. A partnership with the Florida Department of Commerce and Governor Ron DeSantis’ $6 million Florida Job Growth Grant enabled the work on Industrial Park Drive, which cost $6,950,000. The project expanded a 1.5-mile stretch of Industrial Park Drive from North U.S. 301 to CR 514 as the road was widened from the existing two-lane paved asphalt road to a four-lane paved asphalt road. The widening is instrumental to the economic vitality and increased traffic flow serving the Governor Rick Scott Industrial Park, the future Monarch Ranch Industrial property and connectivity with the Representative Marlene O’Toole Industrial Park.
The Board of County Commissioners awarded the Industrial Park Drive project to C.W. Roberts Construction Inc. on June 5, 2023. Construction, including work within the CSX right-of-way, concluded on April 23, 2024.
Project improvements include adding a raised median, adding turn lanes, adding two additional travel lanes, installing stormwater pipes and structures, creating a drainage retention pond, installing signs and pavement markings, milling and resurfacing, installing curbs and gutters, and conducting earthwork. The project also consisted of work within CSX’s right-of-way and to open a new railroad crossing along with the demolition of the old crossing. The U.S. 301 improvements include a new southbound right-turn lane and a northbound center left-turn lane.
Representatives from RoMac, DZ Corp., The Villages Daily Sun, PJ Sola LLC, Kimley-Horn along with Coleman City Council member Jim Sears, State Rep. John Temple, Sumter County Commissioners Craig Estep, Andrew Bilardello, Oren Miller and Congressman Daniel Webster’s office also attended the ribbon cutting event.
