Sprinkle list: Citrus County projects receive $78 million boost from budget

The long-awaited Riverwalk project in Crystal River may finally be coming to shore.

Citrus County’s $78 million take of the proposed state budget includes $3 million for King’s Bay Riverwalk, a top city goal that has 20 years in the making.

Crystal River actually requested $2 million, City Manager Ken Frink said. The House “sprinkle list“ added $1 million.

“We’re extremely grateful for the generosity of the Legislature,” he said. “We are now fully funded on Riverwalk.”

Frink said the city will be able to use state funding for parking and other amenities related to the Riverwalk.

The $4 million Riverwalk will extend a boardwalk along King’s Bay in the city’s commercial district. The project was beset by delays related to easement issues with waterfront property owners, which are now all resolved.

The land portion was completed in 2018.

Frink said the city is 90% through the final Department of Environmental Protection permit that, once complete, will allow final phase construction to start.

The state budget includes other big Crystal River projects as well, including $20.7 million to make improvements to Turkey Oak Drive as a bypass. City officials fear traffic from the recently opened Suncoast Parkway will head west to their city, clogging already congested U.S. 19.

Other Citrus County items in the budget include:

— $10 million each for projects in King’s Bay and the Homosassa River, that remove Lyngbya and replace it with eel grass.

— $4.2 million for a similar restoration project to reduce floating tussocks and remove bottom sediment on the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes.

— $9 million to start work on a multiuse path on Fort Island Trail. The county expects to start the project from Fort Island Gulf Beach and head east, paving what it can afford each year. The county has $1 million set aside for it.

— $1.5 million for Lifestream Behavioral Centers for a 20-bed Baker Act facility in Lecanto.

— $7.1 million to extend the Crystal River Airport runway to 5,000 feet.

— $2.25 million for a West Inverness trail and connector to the Withlacoochee State Trail.

— $850,000 for Beverly Hills Community Park upgrades.

The budget represents the consensus between the House and the Senate for the state’s financial priorities. Individual spending items are still subject to the Governor’s veto pen, however.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis was thought to have wielded a relatively light touch when he slashed $1.5 billion out of the $100 billion budget.