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Interstate 4

Wesley Chapel couple launches tourism-themed podcast

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Wesley Chapel’s Andy and Shannon Herbon love exploring Florida — then sharing those experiences with anybody who’ll listen.

As often as they can, the Herbons and their two young children venture across the state to visit theme parks and state parks, beaches, springs and waterfalls, hidden gems and other attractions.

Andy Herbon, left, and Shannon Herbon recently created a Florida tourism-related podcast, ‘Sunshine State of Mind.’ From hidden gems and state parks, to beaches and theme parks, Shannon and Andy discuss, review and debate all the wonderful (and occasionally weird) destinations and tourism news throughout the state.
(Courtesy of Andy and Shannon Herbon)

From the Florida Panhandle, to St. Augustine, to Miami — they’ll go just about anywhere to seek out fun, meaningful adventures.

“We live in paradise, so take advantage of it,” Shannon said.

The married couple’s interest in traveling the state recently sparked the idea to create a Florida tourism-themed podcast called, “Sunshine State of Mind,” that focuses on activities, events and destinations around the state.

The free, weekly podcast launched in April and has 18 episodes to date.

“We’d always be doing stuff on the weekends and friends would ask us for tips…and we kind of got to be real pros at what do around Florida, and we said, ‘Well, why don’t we do a podcast about this?’” Andy explained.

The couple got the extra motivation they needed to start recording as Shannon was wrapping up her master’s degree in digital media this spring from University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

She figured a podcast would make for the perfect thesis project.

They’ve been recording ever since, making it a regular part of their weekly routine, from their home studio. “After you do it, it kind of gives you a little buzz, like, ‘Yeah, that was fun,’” Andy said of podcasting.

In each episode, which run about 40 minutes, Shannon and Andy discuss, review and debate destinations and tourism news throughout the state.

Podcast topics have included “Our Summer 2018 Bucket List,” “Ten Amazing Places Floridians Don’t Want You to Know About,” “Ten Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World,” and “Florida Tourist Trap Alternatives.”

Said Andy, “People love lists. It’s a way to break it down easy – easy to digest.”

Other episodes have been reviews of entertainment venues such as TopGolf, Legoland Florida and other spots along the Interstate 4 corridor.

Yet, the podcasters don’t just focus on major tourist attractions such as Disney World, Busch Gardens or Universal Studios, nor the state’s collection of well-known beaches.

They also like to dive deep into lesser-known locales, such as Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Micanopy, known for its bison and wild horses; Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, a contemplative garden and bird sanctuary; and, Devil’s Den Spring in Williston, where divers, swimmers and snorkelers travel in an underground spring inside a dry cave.

Locally, they’ll share tips and ideas about some of their regular adventure staples like Hillsborough River State Park and Lettuce Lake Park.

Sometimes the banter comically spreads to other Florida-related topics, such as to whether the state truly can be considered part of the South.

Andy and Shannon happen to be at opposite ends of that debate.

“It’s the south, geographically, but culturally it’s not the South,” says Andy, who moved to Tampa from Chicago in 2001.

Shannon quickly counters, as a sixth generation Floridian born in Tampa and raised in Land O’ Lakes: “My argument is that just because all of the northerners came and invaded doesn’t mean that those of us from Florida aren’t Southern.”

This podcast is picking up listeners
Lighthearted quibbles aside, “Sunshine State of Mind” has steadily grown in popularity.

Sunshine State of Mind, a Florida tourism podcast that focuses on fun and exciting things to do throughout the state of Florida, was launched in April by Wesley Chapel residents Andy and Shannon Herbon. The free, weekly podcast is available for download on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean and TuneIn.

After telling several friends and family members about the podcast, word-of-mouth eventually spread to complete strangers, many who’ve come to use it as a resource for upcoming vacations to Florida.

The podcast has a 5-star peer review rating (the highest possible rating) on iTunes among 34 reviewers.

Each episode has averaged anywhere between 150 to 200 downloads, Shannon said.

The most popular episode is “Ten Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World” with more than 300 downloads, closely followed by “Our Summer of 2018 Bucket List.”

Also, the podcast’s official Twitter page has nearly 3,000 followers and YouTube page has more than 1,400 subscribers.

“It’s been a lot more successful off the beginning than we thought,” Andy said, noting the number of listeners increases each week.

Shannon added: “Every once in a while when we do hear from strangers it’s like, ‘Wow, people are actually listening! What a thought?’ It’s kind of surreal because it’s only been a couple of months.”

Living in a subtropical state where others vacation is something the Herbons try not to take for granted, especially Andy, who came from the cold Midwest.

He explained: “Up there you’re stuck indoors six months out of the year and you really can’t do anything, and here, the festival season is great here during the winter time; there’s just so much to do all the time.”

Added Shannon: “(Andy) kind of opened my eyes to, ‘Wow, we really do have amazing things here,’ because to him, it was all new…”

They try to instill the same mindset into their kids, who are ages 10 and 11.

Said Shannon, “We don’t want them indoors, on their screens all day. We want them outdoors, experiencing Florida, having fun and being active…”

For families looking to get their kids out of the house this summer, Andy and Shannon highly recommend a visit to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, in Spring Hill.

The park, which opened in 1947, is renowned for its live mermaid shows, river boat cruises, animal shows and Florida’s only spring-fed water park, Buccaneer Bay.

“I feel like it’s so underrated,” Andy said of Weeki Wachee.

“It’s such a great park,” Shannon added. “It’s very ‘Old Florida’, like ‘Old Florida’ nostalgia. They have the waterpark, which is included with the admission, and you can swim in a spring; it’s beautiful.”

For information on Sunshine State of Mind, visit SunshineStatePodcast.com or email the Herbons at

Published July 11, 2018

Pasco projects win big in 2019 state budget

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Gov. Rick Scott signed off on an $88.7 billion state budget for fiscal year 2019, and had a light touch with his veto pen.

He cut about $64 million in contrast to the $410 million that was axed from the previous year’s $82.4 billion budget.

Gov. Rick Scott

Pasco County got most of the items on its wish list, including $15 million for the Overpass Road interchange at Interstate 75, and $4.3 million for the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Research and Education located at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.

The city of Zephyrhills also will receive $1 million for the proposed Sarah Vande Berg Tennis Center, $5.9 million for upgrades at the municipal airport, and $750,000 for a road study.

“They are a great boost to us in improving our area,” said Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina. “It’s very helpful. We’re just really pleased.”

Overall, Pasco County did much better in 2019 than 2018. Several projects that were cut previously made it safely through the budget process this year.

The new budget becomes effective July 1.

The redesigned Overpass Road interchange is a high priority for Pasco as part of an evolving road network to handle growth along the Connected City corridor. The 7,800 acres within the corridor’s district includes new developments, such as Epperson and Mirada. But, more residential and commercial projects are expected to bring new residents, and a more urbanized landscape to northeastern Pasco.

A monument sign was unveiled on May 12, 2017 at a dedication ceremony for the Adam Kennedy Forensics Field. The ‘body farm’ is part of a project to build a forensics research and training center next to Pasco County’s jail. Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a funding request for the project last year, but approved it this year. (File)

The forensic center is a joint venture with Pasco County, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco-Hernando State College and the University of South Florida’s Institute for Forensics and Applied Science.

Construction on the multi-building campus is expected to begin in late summer or early fall, according to Chase Daniels, assistant executive director at the sheriff’s office.

Research already is underway at the Adam Kennedy Forensic Field, also known as a body farm.

The city of Zephyrhills will receive funds for several projects, including the planned regional tennis center. A management company for the facility is in place.

The approximately $3.4 million project is in planning stages. The city’s city council was expected to approve a contract for the design at its meeting on March 26.

The funds for the airport will help pay for extending the runway, building an internal road and expanding hangar capacity.

A planning and engineering study will look at extending State Road 56 to U.S. 301, State Road 39 and Chancey Road.

“That would make it kind of a bypass,” said Spina.

The biggest loss in the governor’s veto items is the $4.7 million requested for the Morningside Drive extension in Dade City. Scott cut the funds, citing in a budget letter that the project didn’t go through proper evaluation protocol.

This rendering of the Zephyrhills Tennis Center shows 10 courts (eight clay, two hard surface), three mini-courts and one exhibition court. The tennis center is also expected to feature a pro shop, a multifunctional community room, and two office spaces. A second level, if added, will contain an observation deck, players lounge and concessions. (File)

It was one of a handful of road projects rejected for the same reason.

Officials with Bayfront Health Dade City are eager to see the extension built. Funding hasn’t been available through Dade City’s budget, so state funding was sought.

The project would link U.S. 301 to King Fort Road, where the hospital is located. Hospital officials have said the extension would improve access to the hospital’s campus.

State Rep. Danny Burgess said funding would be requested again for fiscal year 2020.

“It is a critical game-changer for the Dade City community,” said Burgess in a text message to The Laker/Lutz News.

Other Pasco County projects included in the 2019 budget are:

  • $1 million for a planning and engineering study for the U.S. 301/U.S. 98/Clinton Avenue intersection realignment.

The goal is to improve east-west traffic from I-75 to the west and Interstate 4 to the south.

  • $250,000 for the Veteran’s Alternative which aids veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury
  • $50,000 for AmSkills, a program that aids high school students, adults, and veterans seeking manufacturing jobs

Published March 28, 2018

$2 million grant goes to Zephyrhills airport

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Funding continues to fly into the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

The office of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who represents Florida’s 12th congressional district, announced last month that the airport had received a $2 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, near Interstate 4 and Interstate 75, is the only publicly owned and operated airport in Pasco County. The airport currently has a waiting list for hangar space, according to Airport Manager Nathan Coleman. The airport’s 172 enclosed spots include 137 T-hangars, 25 half-hangars and 10 shade spots. (File)

Funds will go toward pavement repairs and new LED lighting at Taxiway B, which hasn’t seen upgrades in about 20 years, according to Airport Manager Nathan Coleman.

Taxiway B is situated off the main causeway, and connects to the fuel pumps and the southeast side of the airfield. It is one of the airport’s five taxiways.

Coleman said the taxiway improvement project has been in development for more than two years, as engineering firms AVCON Engineering and AID (American Infrastructure Development) aided the airport with the planning and grant application process.

The $2 million grant — along with supplemental federal Department of Transportation funds — should cover about 98 percent of the project, with the airport contributing the remaining 2 percent of funding. “It’s a really good deal for the airport,” Coleman said.

The grant was available through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, including runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting and markings.

Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport has been awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The federal funding will go toward pavement and lighting improvements at Taxiway B, which hasn’t been updated in about 20 years. The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport was one of four airports in Florida to receive funding for infrastructure improvements, joining Key West International Airport ($9 million), Orlando International Airport ($16 million) and Tampa International Airport ($9.3 million). (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Municipal Airport)

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is one of four airports in Florida to receive funding for infrastructure improvements, joining Key West International Airport ($9 million), Orlando International Airport ($16 million) and Tampa International Airport ($9.3 million).

Nationwide, the FAA is awarding $290.6 million in airport infrastructure grants to 105 airports in 38 states.

Those federal funds are critical, Coleman said, particularly for smaller, general aviation airports that mainly attract single-engine planes as opposed to large, commercial aircrafts.

“It’s just a great way for us to be able to maintain our infrastructure,” the airport manager said. “I give tons of credit to (FAA and DOT) because without their help, it’d be hard for little airports like ourselves to really thrive and make it.”

Since 2011, the municipal airport has secured just under $9 million in federal funds. That includes a sizable $4.5 million federal grant in 2012, to repave Runway 4-22, which later became Runway 5-23.

Aside from the Taxiway B improvements, other major projects are slated over the next several years.

Coleman expects to rehab Taxiway A in 2019, and have a design plan in place for a new terminal building by 2021.

More long-term plans call for the installation of a taxiway along Runway 01-19, plus roadway additions to the southwest end of the airport.

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, near Interstate 4 and Interstate 75, is the only publicly owned and operated airport in Pasco County.

The airport currently has a waiting list for hangar space, Coleman said. The airport’s 172 enclosed spots include 137 T-hangars, 25 half-hangars and 10 shade spots.

Last year, a new hangar was constructed at the airport, for the first time in 16 years. The 10,000-square-foot hangar, owned by Thomas and Keith Morrell of TKM Aviation, is located on the northwest portion of the airport property.

Published August 2, 2017

Bay area transportation talk gets a reboot

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State highway officials kicked off a regional discussion on the future of transportation in Tampa Bay with more than 100 people from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando, Polk and Pasco counties.

The initial workshop for what is dubbed, Tampa Bay Next, was at the Bryan Glazer Jewish Community Center in Tampa on May 24.

During the next two years, the Florida Department of Transportation will schedule more workshops, meetings and community outreach events in all areas of the region to get input on how to solve gridlock on the area’s highways.

Jonathon Massie, business illustrator with Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College, drew a cartoon illustration to reflect the consensus of people who attended a workshop on transportation in the Tampa Bay region.
(Kathy Steele)

By late 2019, state transportation officials expect to present the details of a new road project that will replace the controversial Tampa Bay Express, or TBX.

That project called for nearly 90 miles of new toll lanes on Interstate 275 from St. Petersburg to Wesley Chapel, and along Interstate 4 to Plant City and south on Interstate 75 to Manatee County.

The TBX project met with strong resistance from residents of neighborhoods in and around downtown Tampa.

Pasco County’s elected officials and chambers of commerce, however, strongly supported the TBX as a relief to traffic congestion and a potential impetus for future economic growth.

Tampa Bay Next, at least initially, will deal with expectations, not details.

“We’re going to focus on our ideal vision,” said Andrea Henning, executive director of Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College. “Tonight is more about listening.”

The company will facilitate community work sessions for the state transportation department in efforts to reach consensus on what Tampa Bay Next will bring to the table.

Six working groups will focus on local issues.

Those groups will cover Pasco/Hernando counties; North and West Hillsborough County; Downtown/East Tampa; Westshore/West Tampa/South Tampa; Pinellas County; and East Hillsborough/ Polk County.

Participants broke out into 20 discussion groups that reported back with broad-stroke views on the area’s future transportation needs, and wants.

Suggestions included:

  • Integrated multi-modal system
  • Connect people to jobs
  • Reliable trip times
  • Complete streets
  • Automated, connected and electric vehicle systems
  • Better bicycle mobility
  • Urban freeway removal
  • Ensuring that communities are not broken apart

One woman put in a plug for her pet peeve: She wants all bus stops to come with shaded cover.

Others spoke about a “sense of urgency” in coming up with answers.

There were also skeptics who don’t trust the state transportation department, in light of the battle over TBX.

“We need to work together,” said Danielle Moran, public involvement manager with HNTB Corporation, which is consulting with the Tampa Bay Next. But, she added, “We know it’s going to take time to build trust.”

She got a round of boos when she brought up toll lanes.

“Express lanes are one of the options on the table,” Moran said. “We’re happy to talk with you about other options.”

A second breakout session focused on four issues: safety, multi-model choices, technology and funding/policy.

Participants later voted electronically for their top priorities in each category, choosing from a list of 10 options.

Priorities included:

  • Designing streets to focus on people’s safety, not vehicles
  • Connecting major regional activity centers
  • Leveraging existing assets and infrastructure
  • Re-prioritizing $6 billion of TBX funds for community priorities

Future workshops will begin to drill down on what local communities envision for transportation.

Moran said there appeared to be at least an early consensus for an integrated, complete transportation system.

“The difficulty is how do we get there,” she said.

For information on Tampa Bay Next including the working groups and community outreach events, visit TampaBayNext.com.

Published June 6, 2017

Taking aim at traffic woes

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A transit study will take a regional approach in trying to identify a solution to unsnarl Tampa Bay’s traffic congestion, and, qualify for federal aid.

Jacob Engineering will conduct the 24-month study for Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. The approximately $1.5 million cost will be paid for by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, commonly called HART and the Florida Department of Transportation, called FDOT for short.

A transit study will seek solutions for congestion problems in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. One logjam motorists often face is at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes. (File Photo)
A transit study will seek solutions for congestion problems in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. One logjam motorists often face is at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.
(File Photo)

Consultants are expected to begin work on Oct. 1, following expected approval of the contract by HART on Sept. 12.

Commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit service and express bus service will be among transit alternatives reviewed in the study.

“Tampa Bay is one of the very few large regional areas that does not have premier transit service to connect its region,” said Steve Feigenbaum, HART’S director of service development. “This is a truly regional study, a three-county study, for transit options for our region.”

Feigenbaum made a presentation on the study to members of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board on Sept. 8 in Dade City.

About 50 percent of Pasco residents commute to jobs outside the county, he said. “Where are their transit options?”

In the past year, Pasco residents have been asked their views on a range of transportation issues, most often focused on traffic congestion in high growth areas such as State Road 54 and State Road 56.

A slew of road projects are under construction or under review to reconfigure or widen roads and highways throughout the county.

Commuters heading south on Interstate 275 daily confront road lanes jammed with motorists trying to get to work.

Recently, FDOT held public meetings to gain support for the Tampa Bay Express, a controversial road project to widen portions of I-275 and Interstate 4.

Only limited bus transit links Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.

Feigenbaum said the study will recommend a single project that is doable, links all three counties and would qualify for funding from the Federal Transit Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Other options will be included in the study, along with reasons why they didn’t make the final cut.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano wondered about the feasibility of purchasing CSX rail lines for future passenger rail service.

The Land O’ Lakes area often is mentioned as an area where rail stops would boost local commercial and residential development. The area includes CSX rail lines crossing through the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

But, Feigenbaum cautioned against thinking that the study would focus on CSX.

“It’s not a CSX study,” he said. “That will be a component of it.”

The cost of buying the rail lines would only be a starting point, he said.

The rail lines were built for freight and would have to be upgraded to handle passenger service. “There’s still going to have to be some consideration of construction and cost. It’s an important component, but it will be included with everything else.”

Feigenbaum said the FTA looks to fund projects that boost economic development and show a return on investment.

“Without those particular elements, it becomes just another shelf piece,” he said. “Some (prior) studies have so much dust, they are growing corn. But, that’s another story.”

Initially, consultants will look at those previous studies, whether they produced transit projects or not, and compile them into a unified, coherent report.

“We don’t want to invent the wheel,” Feigenbaum said.

There also will be public outreach with town halls, telephone town halls and other events to gather community opinions.

Once the initial study is completed, environmental and design work will be done before an application can be submitted to the federal transit agency.

It could take up to five years to qualify for a fully funded grant, Feigenbaum said. “It’s an arduous process.”

Published September 14, 2016

Tampa Bay Express aims to address region’s congestion

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The proposed $3.3 billion Tampa Bay Express project has its critics – especially in areas near downtown Tampa, but it’s a project that’s needed to help relieve regional congestion, according to Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation.

“Currently, Tampa/St. Pete ranks seventh in the country for cities of its size for congestion,” McKinney said.

“I don’t have to tell you all, if you’ve driven around the area, we’ve got a lot of congestion, and that hurts us in a lot of ways,” McKinney said, during a recent luncheon meeting of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation, explains why express lanes are needed to relieve regional congestion. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Ed McKinney, district planning and environmental administrator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation, explains why express lanes are needed to relieve regional congestion.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“It hurts us when it comes to attracting new businesses. It hurts us mostly when it comes to attracting new residents,” he said.

People moving into the area want to know that they’ll be able to get to work or wherever they need to go, without being stuck in traffic for a half-hour, he said.

The problem is only going to get worse, as the region’s population increases and more jobs are created, he added.

“In Pasco County, population is expected to grow 97 percent by 2040,” he said. Hillsborough County is expected to grow by 48 percent, and Polk County by 41 percent during the same period.

“Pasco County is expected to grow employment by 200 percent, and that’s huge,” he said. Those workers won’t all be coming from Pasco County, he said. They’ll be heading to Pasco from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, too.

“People are going to go where the jobs are. That’s what we’re seeing,” McKinney said.

“People say, ‘Why don’t you consider a no-build?’

“This is the no-build, he said, pointing to a graphic projecting future traffic congestion.

“The no-build says you’re ‘fine with 375,000 cars traveling everyday on I-4 (Interstate 4)’, when it only has the capacity of handling just over 125,000.

“It’s says, ‘We’re OK with the downtown interchange only being able to handle 325,000 cars,’ when it can only handle 175,000.

“That’s the challenge that we’re dealing with. That’s the problem that we’re trying to solve,” McKinney said.

The Tampa Bay Express project grew out of the Tampa Interstate Study that started back in the 1980s, McKinney said.

“This plan looked out into the future. What’s the development that’s going to be going on in the region? What’s the congestion pattern? Where are people going to go to work, what they’re going to do for fun, and how are we going to manage all of that traffic?

“How do get these people to move around, to make sure this region is economically viable and able to take on the challenges?

“If you’ve lived here, you know that we’ve widened I-4. We just completed I-275 widening. We did the Crosstown Connector project. All of those projects were part of this Tampa Interstate Study.

“It’s an evolving document,” he said.

“Every time you go and build a new piece of it, you look at the traffic and development patterns, and you update your document.

“What we’re going to be doing is adding express lanes, within the interstate, that will be tolled,” he said.

There will still be the same number of general purpose lanes as there are now, but there also will be express lanes, which are tolled.

People who want to make a quicker trip will pay the toll.

For instance, someone who has been late to work repeatedly may use the toll lane to avoid being late again, he said. Or, it might be used by someone in a rush to pick up their child from day care or get to an important business meeting.

“What they’ve seen in Miami is that there is no real pattern for why people use them,” he said.

One thing they have noticed is that people are using them at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.

When asked why, many said they are doing that to avoid a potential collision with a wrong-way driver, McKinney said.

“The express lanes will be built, in a majority of cases, within the median that is there now,” he said. But, interchanges will need to be reconstructed.

The system is designed to be used for longer distances, such as getting from Brandon to the airport, or to Pinellas County.

There will be access points in the Gateway area of Pinellas County, in the Westshore area, at Tampa International Airport, at several places downtown Tampa, and in the general vicinity of the University of South Florida. There also will be access points in Brandon and Plant City.

“People say, ‘Why don’t you just spend this money on transit? You’re talking about a $3.3 billion project. You could get a lot of transit for that,’” he said.

Transit is important, and it is part of Hillsborough’s long-range transportation plan, but he added, “it’s not the one solution that fixes all of our problems.

“It needs to be a mix of managed lanes, as well as some sort of transit solution,” McKinney said.

Published August 17, 2016

Tampa Bay Express wins a crucial vote

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A hard-fought, often passionate battle over Tampa Bay’s transportation future ended with a vote in favor of building the Tampa Bay Express.

The project calls for 90 miles of new toll lanes on Interstate 275 from St. Petersburg to Wesley Chapel, along Interstate 4 to Plant City, and south on Interstate 75 to Manatee County.

Vehicles stack up near ramps onto and off Interstate 75 in Pasco County. The interchange is near Tampa Premium Outlets and an active development area for new shops and restaurants. Supporters of Tampa Bay Express hope the transportation project will ease congestion. (File Photo)
Vehicles stack up near ramps onto and off Interstate 75 in Pasco County. The interchange is near Tampa Premium Outlets and an active development area for new shops and restaurants. Supporters of Tampa Bay Express hope the transportation project will ease congestion.
(File Photo)

The project is seen by many in Pasco County as key to propelling economic growth and easing traffic congestion.

“We’re happy it passed,” said Hope Allen, executive director of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “Common sense prevailed in that it will be moving forward. Further discussion will happen and that’s good.”

Advocates for and against packed the June 22 public hearing of the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization. More than 160 people signed up for public comment during an 8-hour speaking marathon that lasted until almost 2:30 a.m. Most were from Tampa, but others came from St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Plant City and Pasco.

The Hillsborough MPO voted 12-4 to put the expressway project, known as TBX, as a priority on its five-year transportation plan. The plan must be submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation by July 15 for state and federal review.

Construction on phase one is slated for 2021 and would re-design the I-275 interchange into downtown Tampa.

Work on a new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge, between Tampa and St. Petersburg, however, is planned for 2017.

TBX will create new toll lanes adjacent to existing non-toll lanes at an initial cost of more than $3 billion, and potentially as much as $6 billion.

Toll fees would vary depending on traffic volume, with more expensive tolls applying at rush hour. No toll rates have been announced, but fees on existing toll systems, including on Interstate 95 in Miami, suggest they could be as high as $2 a mile.

A rapid bus transit service potentially could use the toll lane, but not pay tolls.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, the Wesley Chapel chamber joined with other area chambers and organizations in Pasco and the region, to publicly support and campaign for a favorable vote on TBX.

Four of Pasco County’s commissioners also signed a letter of support. Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano was the lone dissenter.

He objected to toll lanes, saying they would be unfair to people who can’t afford expensive toll fees.

Other options, including conversion of CSX rail lines for public transit, should be studied, Mariano said.

“To me, you are wasting capacity for a rich few,” he said. “There should be a big regional discussion on what is going on in the whole area.”

Opponents of TBX campaigned to block the project as a boondoggle that would benefit wealthy motorists, harm minority communities, lower air quality and crush ongoing revitalization of neighborhoods that suffered during highway widening projects in the 1960s and 1970s.

The project is expected to wipe out as many as 100 businesses and residences in historic neighborhoods of Tampa Heights, Seminole Heights and V.M. Ybor.

“This project is morally flawed on several levels,” said Beverly Ward, principal of BGW Associates, a company that studies effects of public policy decisions on communities.

But, supporters said TBX should be viewed as a regional project that would significantly decrease commute times, promote new development, and encourage more customers to visit existing businesses outside their neighborhoods.

“It’s going to hopefully expedite commuting up to us,” said Greg Lenners, general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass. “We’re still seen as a more rural area. It will be a plus.”

More than half of Pasco’s workers commute to jobs outside of the county, sometimes sitting for two hours in stalled traffic on interstates.

Others in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Plant City said they also want relief from congestion to spend more time with family, friends and children.

“This project will benefit everyone,” said Ken Roberts, an Apollo Beach resident and member of Citizens Organized for Sound Transportation. “We need to realize we are in this all together.”

Published June 29, 2016

Tampa Bay Express gaining favor in Pasco

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A project to build express toll lanes on interstate highways, known as the Tampa Bay Express, has picked up an endorsement from the Pasco County Commission.

Commissioners voted 4-1 on May 10 to send a letter to the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization urging a favorable vote on the project.

The planning organization is scheduled for a June 22 vote on a project that has gained wide support in Pasco as a solution to commuter gridlock.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano voted no. He cited concerns about the increasing reliance on toll roads to generate revenues. He did approve of the potential for rapid bus service included in TBX.

“All the toll roads in the world don’t necessarily help your traffic,” he said.

The Hillsborough MPO’s decision will determine if the project goes forward as a transportation priority.

State highway officials peg the initial construction costs at about $3.3 billion. Some state estimates put the costs at as much as $6 billion.

“This is very, very important for the residents of Pasco County,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “We think about quality of life, especially for residents who commute back and forth to Hillsborough County and Pinellas County on a daily basis.”

For some, commuting times can be more than two hours a day, Moore said. “If we save 30 to 45 minutes for them, just think about the increased quality of life, the time they will spend with family and friends, not on the road.”

In recent weeks, the Pasco Economic Development Council and The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce also have come out in favor of the TBX.

The Pasco MPO added its voice to the chorus on May 12 by approving a resolution in favor of TBX.

Outside of Pasco, the TBX has been a divisive issue for months.

Some Tampa city leaders, including Mayor Bob Buckhorn, are strongly in favor. But, community activists in Tampa’s historic neighborhoods of V.M. Ybor, Ybor City, Tampa Heights and Seminole Heights strenuously object.

They say the added express lanes will slice through their streets, wiping out more than 100 businesses and residences.

Opponents have held protest marches and packed public meetings. Yard signs opposing TBX are a common sight.

The Sunshine Citizens is pushing against the project.

Most recently, the civil rights office of the Federal Highway Administration agreed to a preliminary investigation of TBX, based on a complaint that the toll system benefits wealthy commuters and motorists, while harming minorities who live in the affected neighborhoods.

If approved, nearly 50 miles of new toll lanes would be built adjacent to existing non-toll lanes along Interstate 275, Interstate 75 and Interstate 4. The toll lanes would stretch from St. Petersburg to Wesley Chapel, but also along Interstate 4 to Plant City and southward along Interstate 75 toward Manatee County.

Toll fees would vary depending on traffic volume, with most expensive costs likely at rush hours.

A new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge, between Tampa and St. Petersburg, also is part of the overall highway project.

And, the express lanes would open up to rapid bus service.

“I can’t emphasize how important this project is as a cornerstone of the master plan for the seven county region,” said Ramond Chiaramonte, chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA). “I think we’re at a critical juncture. This is something that can transform this region within a decade from where we are now to a functioning transit system where we have express transit buses beginning to connect our suburban areas.”

The project could add about 90,000 temporary jobs during construction, said Richard Gehring, Pasco’s strategic policy administrator. While Tampa Bay is one of the largest job generators in the state, he said, “One of the biggest constraints on Tampa Bay is the transportation system.”

Work is underway to the north on about $400 million in highway projects, such as the State Road 52 interchange redesign at I-75, and TBX is a critical complement in efforts to reduce regional traffic congestion, Gehring said.

About 52 percent of Pasco residents commute outside the county daily, with about 66 percent of those motorists heading to jobs in Hillsborough, said James Edwards, director of Pasco County’s MPO.

“This is the first step to say we’re going to give Pasco commuters a choice,” he said.

Plus, Edwards said, “We look forward to reverse trips from Tampa.”

Published May 18, 2016

Local couple shares passion for fossils

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Seina Searle will never forget the first time she and her husband, Mike, went to what was then called Fossil Fair.

“We walked around with our jaws open,” Seina said. They were in awe of what fossil hunters could find in Florida.

Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Seina and Mike Searle get a thrill out of finding fossils to help unravel the mysteries of the prehistoric past.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The Searles had already begun their amateur quest to find old bits of bone and teeth in a desire to learn more about Florida’s prehistoric past, but when they got to Fossil Fair, she said, they were blown away by the possibilities.

That was 1993, and the Searles immediately joined the Tampa Bay Fossil Club.

Flash forward 23 years. Mike is now president of the club, which boasts around 600 members and Seina is on the board of directors. She’s coordinating a team of about 140 volunteers for the 29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest, set for this coming weekend at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

They hope the event will spark an interest in others that will lead them to join a community devoted to unearthing clues about the creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

The couple’s passion for fossils is obvious.

An entire room in their Lutz home is filled with shelves of fossils they’ve found while diving in rivers and exploring mines. They have stuff in their garage and out back, too.

Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.
Mike and Seina Searle spend much of their free time hunting for fossils. The shelves in a room in their Lutz home are filled with items they’ve found. They have more in their garage and in a patio area out back.

There’s one section in their fossil room devoted to finds from vacations to Nebraska to go fossil-hunting. They’ve made the trip 19 times and are planning to go there again this year.

Their passion has evolved through the years, Mike said.

At first, they just wanted to find stuff, he said.

“Then we wanted to find good stuff. Then, we wanted to find the most stuff,” he said.

“Sometimes you get wrapped up in what the value of your collection is worth and what you find. We’ve completely gone through all of those emotions. Now, our goal is to find stuff that’s scientifically valuable, that will help unravel the picture of what was in Florida,” he said.

Seina is fascinated by what Florida was like millions of years ago.

“It was a lot like Africa now,” she said. “You had the mammoths. Mastodons. Rhinoceros. Huge Bears. Lions.”

There were armadillos the size of Volkswagens, Mike said.

Seina has had a penchant for unearthing buried treasures since her childhood.

“I always loved archeology as a kid. I was always digging in the backyard, hoping to find something. I always had that interest,” Seina said.

The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.
The couple has traveled to Nebraska 19 times to hunt for fossils and plan to make a 20th trip there this year.

“I never really thought so much about fossils, until he (Mike) took me looking for shark’s teeth in Venice,” she said.

Mike said he became interested in fossils after a kid showed him some shark’s teeth he had found.

“My favorite fossil, I think, is shark’s teeth,” Mike said. “What I quickly came to appreciate was the time involved. “Most people can’t conceive the time.

“You pick up a shark’s tooth on the beach,” he said. “It’s from a 5 million-year-old animal.

“Some of the fossils we dig out west are 30 million years old. You cannot conceive that kind of time frame,” he said.

The Searles have built their knowledge of archeology and paleontology through years in the field, listening to experts and sharing discoveries with other club members.

The Tampa Bay Fossil Club meets monthly at the University of South Florida, featuring presentations from experts. Club members bring items to the meetings for help in identifying the specimens.

The club also goes on field trips, has an annual campout and organizes other activities.

“I’m certain we’re the largest amateur club in the country,” Mike said.

There’s camaraderie among club members, the couple said.

When fossil hunters get together, he said, they tend to talk about things like the newest sloth that’s been found, or why diving is off limits in certain areas, Mike said.

“Everything else seems like it doesn’t matter,” he said.

29th annual Tampa Bay Fossil Fest
When: March 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; March 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Florida State Fairgrounds, intersection of Interstate 4 and U.S. 301, just east of Tampa
How much: $7 for adults, free for children 12 and under
Details: Paleo enthusiasts will find plenty to see and do at Florida’s largest prehistoric show. There will be fossils, artifacts, minerals, shells, workshops, silent auctions, door prizes, and activities for kids.
For more information, visit TampaBayFossilClub.com.

 

Pasco is real estate ready

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The real estate market in Pasco County is thriving.

And, evidence of that was on display at “Meet the Developers: The Future of Real Estate.”

The annual breakfast meeting, hosted by the Pasco Economic Development Council, brought together developers, real estate brokers, investors and community leaders at the Residence Inn on March 2.

Four examples of Pasco’s current and future development initiatives were highlighted: Compark 75, Starkey Ranch, Connected City and the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

Compark 75 defied conventional wisdom that building on speculation in the midst of an economic meltdown would be a bad idea. The initial developer in 2008 abandoned the project.

Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County. On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, standing by the podium, moderated a panel on the future of real estate in Pasco County.
On the panel, from left, were: Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy; Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development; Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty; and Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

But, Larry Morgan of HR Pasco LLC, and Ross Kirk, of KVR Development LLC, joined forces as owner and developer, respectively, to take on the challenge.

The industrial park is next to Interstate 75, about halfway between State Road 54 and State Road 56 interchanges. Suncoast Parkway is 12 miles to the west. The Tampa North Aero Park is along Compark 75’s northern boundary.

In 2014, a $15 million expansion of the industrial park broke ground. It was the first major investment in commercial office construction in Florida since the 2008 recession.

More expansion is under way, with the ongoing construction of a new 65,000-square-foot building. It will be the fifth building at the 165-acre site.

Every building has gone vertical without signed tenants. But, the park is nearly filled to 100 percent capacity. Plans also are  are under way for a new building that can be designed as a multistory office, or built-out for light industrial or manufacturing.

“As fast as we can build them, we are finding quality companies to go in them,” said Heidi Tuttle-Beisner, a broker with Commercial Asset Partners Realty who handles leasing for the park.

Starkey Ranch is a master-planned community of more than 5,500 homes under development by Wheelock Communities in Odessa, off State Road 54.

Groundbreaking on the first model homes took place in 2014. Homes are now selling in Whitfield Park. The welcome center opened in spring. And, Taylor Morrison anticipates a grand opening in April for its model home center for the Esplanade subdivision at Starkey Ranch.

The interest in the ranch is evident in the 2,400 visitors on average who click onto the community’s website each week, said Matt Call, project director for Starkey Ranch/Wheelock Communities.

Interest also is high on the proposed business park and retail sites planned at State Road 54 and Gunn Highway.

Call said announcements would be made on an anchor grocery store, likely in June. And, an apartment complex also is coming at that location, with an announcement expected soon.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in this opportunity,” Call said.

A one-of-a-kind gigabit community and a crystal lagoon are the centerpiece attractions for Metro Development’s “connected city” corridor.

State lawmakers created a special development district for about 7,800 acres in central and eastern Pasco County as a 10-year pilot program. Interstate 75, State Road 52, Curley Road and Overpass Road border the district. Development in the district will be able to bypass the typical state reviews in favor of local control in the hands of Pasco County commissioners.

Metro Development is developing master-planned communities on the former Epperson Ranch within the special district. One town center feature will be a 7-acre man-made swimming pool, known as a crystal lagoon.

“We want that to be integrated into the community,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development.

But, Metro Development also will create the first planned gigabit community, or Connected City, in the nation. Residents and business owners will live, work and play in an environment linked by Ultra Fi, a broadband system with speeds so fast that photos can be downloaded in seconds, not minutes.

Assistance in its development will come from US Ignite, a nonprofit group founded by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation.

Future development on property adjacent to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is getting a boost from Duke Energy through the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program.

In 2015, Duke Energy representatives worked with the city of Zephyrhills on a study of about 440 undeveloped acres around the airport.

The site is centrally located in Florida, and is in proximity to such highways as State Road 54, I-75 and Interstate 4. In addition, there is the bonus of a CSX rail line in the area.

Duke Energy has reviewed nearly 190 sites in six states in the southeast during the past 10 years.

Information from these reviews serves as a guide for local communities that want to create pad-ready sites for development.

One obstacle is expansion of the site’s wastewater capacity at an estimated cost of $1.7 million, said Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy.

However, she said tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program could provide funds for this project.

Pasco County recently launched a revolving loan program, with up to $15 million available to make sites pad-ready or to build shell buildings for potential industrial, manufacturing or flex-space. The deadline to submit proposals to the county is April 11.

Published March 9, 2016