County Council Officially Opposes Truck Plaza On I-4 In Volusia

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truck credit ollirg Shutterstockcom

Volusia County, FL - In Thursday's meeting the Volusia County Council approved a resolution opposing the placement of a truck service plaza on I-4 in the county.

Right now there's a rest area in Longwood, in Seminole County, that's used as a truck stop. But for years, Seminole County's been trying to get FDOT to find a new spot for a truck stop.

In May the Volusia County Council heard about a site analysis in Volusia County for the truck service plaza on I-4 being conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation. The council sent a letter to FDOT saying that a truck service plaza would run counter to their economic development efforts and their plans for the I-4 interchanges. Then, in Thursday's meeting, the county council approved a resolution that opposes building a truck service plaza in the county.

Chairman Jason P. Davis was the only one opposed to the resolution. "There is a major difference between the term truck service plaza and rest area. A rest area is on the interstate, it's like what they have in Longwood. A truck service plaza is a private entity, a private business, that is built on their private property and is generating revenue," said Davis. "I'm not understanding the confusion here with this, and I saw it here in the paper this morning that DOT is saying you're going to have this... They can't tell us to have a truck service plaza on private property."

"Well Mr. Chairman, I think I can clear it up," responded Doug Daniels, Council member and District 4 Representative. "FDOT is happy with Longwood... They're happy with where it is... The truckers are happy with where it is. We don't need it. It is Seminole County that wants us to take it because they want to do something else with the property. Truckers are happy, DOT is happy... There is no need."

Seminole County officials have been pitching the economic value of a truck service plaza to Volusia County, but Volusia County officials aren't buying it. "I think if Seminole County has said that they thought this was a great project for us to have, and if it's such a great project for us, I don't know why they would want to pass it on to us," said Vice Chair and District 1 Representative Pat Patterson. "If it were such a great project, they could go over to where the AAA building is and put a plaza there if they want all that economic development."

In the end, everyone but Chairman Davis voted in favor of the resolution.

Photo courtesy Ollirg and Shutterstock.com.

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