The Florida Department of Transportation announced it will purchase three homes, and possibly three others in Carver City after the I-275 widening project left homes too close to the interstate.
The area is north of I-275 and west of Dale Mabry. It’s where Tedd Scott has lived for more than six decades.
“It was a very friendly, family oriented neighborhood," he said. "Everybody knew each other, looked out for each other."
But most of the people he remembers so fondly are gone. Their homes were demolished to make way for the widening project.
Now his front yard is literally an interstate ramp.
“It’s a big wall, a big nothing,” Scott said. “It’s really upsetting when they come and gut your neighborhood. The place you love.”
The road noise also keeps the neighbors up at night.
FDOT listened to neighbors’ concerns, and launched a study. Spokesperson Kris Carson says accessibility and proximity to the interstate were factors in which homes were purchased.
Scott said even though he’s talking with FDOT about selling his home, it won’t be easy to say goodbye.
“You can’t buy the memories," he said. "You can’t replace all of the friends and neighbors you had."