Hillsborough County is proposing a $40 million project to ease traffic congestion on Van Dyke Road in Lutz.
The project is expected to begin construction in late 2022, and be completed by late 2024.
Now in its planning phase, the proposed project calls for widening Van Dyke Road from two lanes to four lanes, in a 2-mile stretch from Whirley Road to the Suncoast Parkway.
The plan also implements a divided median, as well as providing easier intersection turns for motorists.
To achieve the easier turns, the county plans to construct three new roundabouts on Van Dyke.
The roundabouts would make it easier to get off Van Dyke Road, and would keep the traffic flow on Van Dyke moving at a steady pace.
Chris Wilkerson, senior media relations strategist for Hillsborough County, said the roundabouts would “dramatically reduce fatalities” for motorists turning off of Van Dyke Road.
Two roundabouts would be placed at Van Dyke Road’s intersections with Lake Reflections Boulevard and Darby Lane, respectively.
Darby Lane, connecting with Van Dyke Road’s south end, turns into Lake Reflections Boulevard, on the road’s north end.
A third roundabout would be built at the intersection with the Grace Family Church entrance.
All three roundabouts would form into what is known as a “peanut” design.
This configuration has a long width to better facilitate entry points that are farther apart.
If it is constructed, it would be the first of its kind in the state, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The proposal also calls for pedestrian-bicycle paths running along the north end and south end of Van Dyke Road.
A shared-use trail connection would link the Upper Tampa Bay Trail to the Northdale Lake Park Trail.
Potential detours and road closures cannot be determined yet, Wilkerson said.
Published November 27, 2019
