FOURTEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FLORIDA DOT, ANS REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCILS JOIN TOGETHER FOR I-75 CORRIDOR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT GAINESVILLE - Six counties and eight cities have joined together to form the Interstate-75 Corridor Council. The Corridor Council will work as a partner with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Offices II and V to address the beautification of the Interstate-75 corridor from the Georgia border to Wildwood. The Florida Legislature established the Highway Beautification and Tourism Promotion Pilot Project during its 1996 session. As required by the project, the FDOT prepared a proposal for the improvement of Interstate-75, which included a recommended implementation plan. However, the Legislature took no further action during the 1997 session. The North Central Florida and Withlacoochee Regional Planning Councils (RPCs) offered, and FDOT accepted, their support in carrying out many of the recommendations included in the project report. The support included the establishment of the Interstate-75 Corridor Council. The Corridor Council is made up of one (1) elected official from each of the local government jurisdictions which encompass or abut a portion of the interstate corridor from the Georgia border to Wildwood. To assist the elected officials and FDOT district secretaries, a number of non-voting, ex-officio members from the University of Florida Department of Landscape Architecture, the outdoor advertising industry, the state garden club organization, the North Central Florida Economic Development Partnership, and The Original Florida Tourism Task Force have been appointed. The ex-officio members, representatives from the RPCs and local governments, as well as other potential contributors will be asked to serve on a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC will develop programs and projects for consideration. The initial meeting of the Corridor Council will be on October 29, 1997, from 10:30 am until 1:30 pm at the Holiday Inn West in Gainesville. The Corridor Council is expected to meet on a quarterly basis. The TAC will meet on a schedule dictated by the work to be accomplished. For more information, contact Chuck Kiester, 352-955-2200, ext. 102.