What roadwork is happening on SR 44 in Citrus County?
The Citrus County Chronicle reported in December 2024 on the repaving of S.R. 44 from U.S. 41 in Inverness to the Sumter County line. It described a 6.7-mile project that began Nov. 14 and was to be finished in the spring of 2026 at a cost of $22.2 million.[1]
That schedule was a projection when it was published. If you are buying or leasing a site on that stretch, ask the Florida Department of Transportation for the current status and whether any driveway or median work is part of the project.
Commercial land near the Suncoast Parkway and SR 44 interchange
The Chronicle's December 2024 report described the parkway extension from S.R. 44 to C.R. 486 as "creating intersections at those sites," at an estimated $103 million.[1] WUSF reported on August 28, 2025 that the segment had opened 500 days early and that "It's only three miles from State Road 44 to Norvell Bryant Highway."[2] Florida's Turnpike Enterprise now lists Suncoast Parkway 2 as a completed project.[3]
If you are buying land near the SR 44 interchange, ask how access to the specific parcel works today, whether frontage is on SR 44 itself or a side road, and what utilities reach the site. See our Suncoast Parkway page for the later segments.
SR 44 in Inverness: the county seat
The SR 44 repaving project starts at U.S. 41 in Inverness.[1] A state historical marker says Inverness was chosen as the permanent county seat in 1891.[4] The Census Bureau estimated 7,796 residents in the City of Inverness on July 1, 2025.[5] The city runs a community redevelopment agency, created in 1990 on 37 acres and expanded significantly in 2015, according to the city's annual report.[7]
At the 75-acre Inverness Airport Business-Industrial Park, where a Phase 2 contract of $8.83 million was approved and completion is expected in the first quarter of 2027, according to county officials quoted by the Chronicle in December 2025.[9] North of Inverness on U.S. 41, Citrus County Economic Development describes the Holder Industrial Park, at just over 550 acres.[8]
If your site is near downtown Inverness, ask the city whether the address is inside the redevelopment area and what programs apply.
Property taxes on SR 44 frontage: city or county?
It depends on which side of the city limit the parcel sits. The Florida Department of Revenue lists city levies in Citrus County only for Crystal River and Inverness. The City of Inverness adopted an operating millage of 7.5600 for fiscal year 2025-26, on top of the county levies; The Department of Revenue table lists no city levy outside the two cities, led by the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners' 6.9898.[6]
Before you compare two SR 44 sites, ask the Citrus County Tax Collector for the full bill on each, including school and water management levies.
| Taxing authority | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| City of Inverness | 7.6600 | 7.5600 |
| City of Crystal River | 6.5900 | 6.5900 |
| Citrus County BCC | 6.9898 | 6.9898 |
| Citrus County Transportation Board | 0.9860 | 0.9860 |
| Fire Res/Emer Med | 0.5780 | 0.5780 |
| Library Dist | 0.3147 | 0.3147 |
| Citrus County Health Board | 0.0564 | 0.0564 |
What to check before you buy commercial land on State Road 44
State roads come with their own rules. Before you make an offer on an SR 44 site, work through these questions:
- Does the site have direct SR 44 access, and will the state permit the driveway and any turn lane your use needs?
- Is the parcel inside the City of Inverness or in unincorporated Citrus County, and which zoning and land use rules apply?
- Are water and sewer at the property line?
- Is any part of the parcel in a flood zone or near a protected area?
- What does the full tax bill look like?
Looking at a site on State Road 44? Start with the parcel and your plan for it.
Talk with MakaylaQuestions people ask
When will the SR 44 repaving in Citrus County be finished?
The Citrus County Chronicle reported in December 2024 that the 6.7-mile repaving of S.R. 44 from U.S. 41 in Inverness to the Sumter County line would be finished in the spring of 2026 at a cost of $22.2 million. Ask the Florida Department of Transportation for the current status.
Is there a Suncoast Parkway interchange at SR 44?
Yes. The extension from S.R. 44 to C.R. 486 created intersections at both, according to the Citrus County Chronicle, and WUSF reported on August 28, 2025 that the segment had opened 500 days early.
What property taxes apply to commercial land on SR 44 in Citrus County?
Inside Inverness, the city's 2025-26 operating millage of 7.5600 applies along with the county levies. Outside the cities, the county levies apply, including the Citrus County BCC's 6.9898, according to the Florida Department of Revenue.
Where does the SR 44 repaving project start and end?
The Citrus County Chronicle described it as running from U.S. 41 in Inverness to the Sumter County line.
Sources
- 2024 was a year of road construction, Citrus County Chronicle (Mike Arnold), December 26, 2024. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Latest addition to Suncoast Parkway opens 500 days early, WUSF, August 28, 2025. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Suncoast Parkway 2 (SR 589), Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Old Citrus County Courthouse (Florida Historical Marker), Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- City and town population estimates, Vintage 2025 (Florida), U.S. Census Bureau, July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Table 1, Comparison of Taxes Levied, Citrus County, Florida Department of Revenue, Fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Inverness Community Redevelopment Agency annual report 2017/2018, City of Inverness. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Citrus County Economic Development, Citrus County Economic Development. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- Phase 2 construction at Inverness Airport business park expected to begin early 2026, Citrus County Chronicle, December 22, 2025. Accessed October 12, 2026.