Project helps lay way for future widening
By Kyle LoJacono
Drivers who frequent I-75 in Pasco County have been without a rest stop for almost a year, but that should change before those same people change their calendars.
John McShaffrey, public information officer for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), said the stops between SR 54 and SR 56 on both the north and southbound lanes are on schedule to open by the end of the year.
“Progress on the replacement rest areas is very good,” McShaffrey said. “The largest task that remains, and it’s a big one, is to build the concrete parking areas. Weather would seem to be the biggest obstacle at this point. If there is extensive rain this summer/fall we could see the opening slide into the new year. However, at this time, project managers are forecasting project completion by the end of 2011.”
Cone and Graham Inc. is building the stops at a cost of $25.1 million. It was originally scheduled for completion in the spring of 2012.
Both locations will be larger than the older ones. Each will gain 2,199 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space, plus an additional 7,557 square feet apiece of additional area on the grounds.
McShaffrey said the older rest stops were opened in 1987, making them 23 years old when closed. The new facilities will have several upgrades from the ones torn down last July.
“The new rest areas and parking are designed to meet users’ needs for 30 years,” McShaffrey said. “These were among the oldest facilities in the state and became candidates for replacement due to ongoing maintenance costs, lack of adequate truck parking spaces and other operational deficiencies.”
There will be 32 additional parking spaces for trucks and four for recreational vehicles (RV) at the northbound location while reducing spots for standard cars by 15 to make room. The southbound site gets 27 for trucks and two for RVs while losing 18 for cars.
McShaffrey said FDOT studies showed the demand for truck parking should continue to increase during the next few decades. The standard parking spaces for cars at the old locations were not big enough for these trucks.
Similar studies showed the usage of the rest stops’ restroom facilities have also been increasing. There will be 24 additional bathroom stalls for women at both sites and six for men plus another eight urinals when the new buildings open.
“In order to accommodate the additional demand, the existing rest area circulation and configuration had to be completely revised,” McShaffrey said. “In other words, we could not just restripe the parking lot and add pavement here and there.”
McShaffrey said remodeling of the older buildings was considered, but was ruled out early in the process.
“The age and condition of the facilities and utilities, combined with long term maintenance costs, led to the decision to reconstruct,” McShaffrey said.
McShaffrey added FDOT decided it was best to do the upgrades now before any widening construction begins on I-75 through the area. He said the department has been widening the interstate system in the Tampa Bay area for about the last 20 years and the plan is to continue the trend north, but no start date is set.
The department is currently widening I-275, which splits with I-75 just south of the rest stops, from two to three lanes in each direction from Bearss Avenue to I-75. It is also improving the exit ramps to SR 56 from I-75 and I-275. The total cost for those two projects is $50.4 million.
