Excerpt from email sent to us from a citizen's group in Cheval, 19-JAN-2004

To Suncoast 2 Concerned Citizens:

As a member of the Suncoast Parkway Impact Committee (concerned citizens trying to right a wrong) for the portion of the Suncoast Parkway Tollroad from Van Dyke Highway to Lutz Lake Fern Road ( thru Cheval West) in northwest Hillsbourough County ; I wanted to let you know that FDOT is still dragging their feet in regards to their addressing a promise they made to us in 1995 for continuous noise walls throughout our development.

Without getting into the details; the moral of the story is to make sure you have FDOT sign off on all promises they may make regarding landscaping and noise walls that may be needed or requested by the community.

We've been after FDOT since March 01 for the promised landscape and noise walls for the tollroad thru our development. We've just recently been successful with the completion of the promised landscape; but now FDOT is turning a deaf ear to the noise issue.

FDOT "gives a little" when it comes to fulfilling promises they make ; but takes a lot, when it comes to the time it takes to "right a wrong".

Just a friendly reminder.

Thanks

Jack Carrig

Excerpt from email sent to Webmaster from a citizen's group in Cheval, 23-JAN-2004]

[...] it may however, be to your advantage to use our name and our experience with FDOT to alert and sensitize your people to the demonstrated fact that FDOT will tell you anything at these meetings to avoid opposition to their plans. They told us lies on two occasions in front of our residents (we have nearly 100 residents on record) to whit; 1) "the Parkway will have minimal impact of Cheval West, 2) there will be walls , continuous walls on both sides of the roadway the entire length of the right-of-way through Cheval West. Because the residents believed the FDOT we did not lie down in front of the bulldozers ( we should have opposed this road until everything was in writing) We were deceived by the representatives of the Government that exists to care about the well being of people and the environment in which we live!

Today they deny those promises and of course the only record of those meetings are one page memos that lack any resemblance of what was said or shown at those meetings.

I hope you can gain from our experience.

We have not given up on righting this wrong. We tried for three years to appeal to their sense of fair play and avoid all the nasty stuff with no results. We are now prepared to reveal their inappropriate actions and their insensitive responses to our problems. It may or may not be nasty but it will certainly introduce to the public some potentially embarrassing aspects of how FDOT does business.

Best wishes

Earl
[Earl Burley]

[Letter from FTE , 29-MAY-2004]

Dear Truth About Suncoast 2,

This letter is in response to e-mail messages that are posted on the truthaboutsuncoast2.com website regarding construction of Suncoast Parkway Project 1 through Cheval in northwest Hillsborough County. These e-mails, that address promises by Florida's Turnpike regarding noise walls and landscaping, contain misleading or inaccurate statements.

Florida’s Turnpike has consistently maintained that noise abatement meeting federal and state criteria was designed and constructed adjacent to the Cheval development. During the development of a highway project, regulations require the highway authority to identify traffic noise impacts, examine potential mitigation measures, incorporate reasonable and feasible noise mitigation measures into the project and coordinate with local officials to provide useful information on compatible land use planning and control.

The Suncoast Parkway, from Veterans Expressway to State Road 50, opened to traffic in February 2001. During the project’s design and construction, Florida’s Turnpike met and corresponded with residents of Cheval to accommodate community needs and desires. Noise abatement meeting federal and state criteria was included in the original construction contracts. The noise wall configurations, heights and length, were constructed as presented to the Cheval West community prior to project construction.

The walls that were installed on Suncoast Parkway in the vicinity of Lutz-Lake Fern Road, adjacent to Cheval West, are noise barrier walls, which are designed to reduce noise levels from the traffic on Suncoast Parkway. There are two places where Cheval residents claim that walls should have been constructed— one along a golf course and the other adjacent to a wetland area. These types of areas do not warrant consideration of noise abatement.

Florida’s Turnpike has been a good neighbor to the new communities that have developed adjacent to the Suncoast parkway, including Cheval West. We have met the commitments made to the Cheval West community.

Nancy Clements, P.E.
Director of Planning and Production
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise

Excerpt of mail to Webmaster, 30-MAR-2004

Earl and myself (Jack Carrig) are members of a citizens group in Hillsborough County; specifically Cheval West.

And just as a matter of clarification, Ms. Clements came on board in the capacity she now sits only within the last year or year and a half. So she cannot speak of what went on during the preliminary meetings back in the mid 90's. To once again reiterate; the promise was for continuous walls throughout the entire length of the parkway. Nothing was mentioned back then about any areas "not warranting consideration of noise abatement".

This latest go-around is a prime example of what we have been going through the last three year, and further emphasizes the need for our neighbors to the north to stand firm in what they feel is right for their community.

Letter to the Editor, St. Petersburg Times, 7-APR-2004

Funny, all those cars sure don't sound like rumors

Editor: Re: Turnpike officials want to wipe out rumors, March 30 Citrus Times: As the creator of a couple of e-mails the Florida Turnpike Enterprise categorize as misleading, I had to respond to Justin George's article.

The excerpts posted on the truthaboutsuncoast2.com Web site are in fact far from rumors or misleading.

Fact: Renditions and promises were made to the Cheval West homeowners regarding the Suncoast Parkway for continuous walls and landscape throughout.

Fact: After the completion of the Parkway in February, 2001, it took Cheval West residents more than two years to get the landscaping that was promised. We're still fighting for the completion of the walls throughout. Two large gaps remin.

Fact: It is important that one's past experiences be made known to those going through current negotiations, so that they are not left without.

I invite Carl Gibilaro, Nancy Clements and anyone else who would like to see FTE's definition of "minimal impact" as presented to us, to come to Cheval West and listen; 10,000 to 15,000 cars a day don't lie, nor are they rumors.