Five Major Road Widening and Intersection Improvements In Ocala To Handle Growth in Equine and Commercial Activity

Did you notice all the extra traffic and snowbirds this winter in Ocala? To accommodate for the increase in traffic – from cars to horse trailers and big trucks – there are five major road projects in Marion County. These road projects will make the roads safer for people and horses around the World Equestrian Center and they will help the big trucks gain better access to I-75. The good news is that all five projects are located outside of the Farmland Preservation Area.

With the opening of the World Equestrian Center (WEC), Marion County is becoming the epicenter for horse owners seeking the warmth of a Florida winter to train and show their horses. During this winter’s show season, over 2,000 horses showed at WEC! That’s in addition to the nearly 80,000 horses that already call Marion County home.

Marion County’s distribution industry is also booming. Over the next five years, an additional 5 million square feet of industrial and warehouse space will be built to accommodate several new distribution centers. This square footage is in addition to the existing Fed Ex, Chewy’s, Amazon, AutoZone, and Dollar Tree distribution centers. The central location of Ocala with easy access to Jacksonville and Tampa via I-75 has made the area an ideal distribution hub.

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Horse Farms Forever is actively monitoring and reporting on developments. Formed in June of 2018, Horse Farms Forever, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as well as a registered 501(c)3 with the IRS. Our mission is to inspire the conservation of horse farms by preserving the natural pasture land for horses and their habitats and protecting the soil and water on which they depend while minimizing land-use conflicts in Marion County.

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