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Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

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Complaints have persisted for years about traffic congestion at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

There also have been on-again, off-again public discussions over the best solution for reducing traffic at the place where two of Pasco’s busiest roads meet.

This aerial view shows the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54. During morning and afternoon rush hours, there are significant backups at the busy intersection in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

State Road 54 runs east-west, and had an average daily traffic count of 63,000 in 2019, according to figures supplied by the Florida Department of Transportation.

U.S. 41 runs north-south, and had average daily traffic counts of 69,000 in 2019, according to state road officials.

On top of that, there’s new growth underway and future growth coming in Land O’ Lakes.

Plus, State Road 54 is an evacuation route when hurricanes threaten.

But, complaints about traffic congestion are likely to persist for some time, because even in a best-case scenario, any option for improvements is likely to be at least 10 years away from funding.

That’s according to a Feb. 11 presentation to the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board by Craig Fox, a project manager for FDOT.

While a solution may be a long way off, the issue is expected to get public attention this year, as consideration is given to four alternatives being studied by state road officials.

Fox outlined those four options:

  • Alternative 1: Two lanes of State Road 54, in each direction, are elevated over U.S. 41. Two frontage lanes run parallel to State Road 54, east-west. Additional lanes allow left and right turns to U.S. 41.
  • Alternative 2: An at-grade intersection without elevated lanes. Left-turns occur prior to the main intersection, using a frontage road along the cross streets.
  • Alternative 3: Two lanes of State Road 54 are elevated in each direction over U.S. 41. Left-turning traffic crosses over the opposing through traffic, several hundred feet before the major intersection.
  • Alternative 4: No Build

While there’s no funding for construction until 2031, work continues to study the alternatives, Fox told the MPO board.

“We are currently working on concepts for all three build alternatives,” he said.

In evaluating the alternatives, Fox said, “we’re looking at the improvements based on traffic operations, safety costs, impacts, right of way impacts, also.

“From that we’re going to select a build alternative to carry into the PD&E (Project Design & Environmental Study) phase, and eventually the design phase,” he said.

This map shows the Florida Department of Transportation’s study of the alternatives being considered for improvements to the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection in Land O’ Lakes.

He expects a public meeting on the alternatives to occur later this year, he said.

Once the alternative is chosen, the PD&E would be conducted in 2021 to 2022.

That would be followed by design, which would occur from 2022 to 2024.

And, after that, right of way acquisition would occur from 2025 to 2026.

Construction, however, would not start until 2031, Fox said.

“It actually got pushed out to 2031-2032, and that was kind of also due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the statewide budget.”

At the Pasco MPO board meeting, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano told Fox: “I like that you’re doing all of the alternatives. The one that intrigues me the most is the flyover, going east-west, because I think that’s going to be critical. It’s as much a safety factor, with the rail line that goes north-south, and especially if the rail line is ever going to run up and down. That would be safer, as well as more efficient, for that rail line, as well.”

Fox said the FDOT is currently updating right of way costs affiliated with the three alternatives.

He said it will be up to the Pasco County MPO to determine when the Vision 54/56 Task Force will reconvene.

The public will be able to comment on the alternatives at the Alternative Public Meeting, which is expected in Summer of 2021. They also will be able to comment online and via mail, he said.

Published March 03, 2021

Helping people get from place to place, safely

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As Pasco County and the municipalities within the county’s borders continue to grow, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey thinks the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization should have a greater voice in planning future roads to ensure safety, while promoting connectivity.

The issue came up repeatedly during the Pasco MPO’s Feb. 11 meeting.

“I’m wondering if it’s the role of the MPO to give some policy direction when we work on our road network,” Starkey asked her colleagues.

This aerial photo of the State Road 56 extension shows a pristine stretch of roadway, running from Meadow Pointe Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel, to U.S. 301, in Zephyrhills. But that road will be developed on both sides, and once it is, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey says it will be hard for pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross the road. She’d like future road planning efforts to be more forward-thinking when it comes to cyclists, pedestrians and people driving golf carts. (File)

She’d like the MPO board to be able to weigh in before road projects are done — to keep safety in mind for pedestrians, cyclists and golf cart users.

Otherwise, she said, the county and local jurisdictions could end up with scenarios they don’t want and have to spend more money later to make changes.

The issue of paying more attention to connectivity came up during discussion of an item to amend the transportation improvement plan to include two wildlife culverts under State Road 52.

The culverts will connect the Connor Preserve on the southern side of State Road 52 to the northern side of State Road 52, in the area of Parker Lake.

Once those culverts are added, right of way acquisition will begin this year, according to the agenda item.

Starkey asked if there’s a way to look at these planned wildlife crossings to make them large enough to allow cyclists and pedestrians to pass through them.

She suggested making the crossings 8 feet deep, to make room for people to go back and forth.

Doing that would be much cheaper than putting an overpass over State Road 52, added Starkey, an avid proponent for using trails to create connectivity within and between communities.

She noted that the extension of State Road 56, between Meadow Pointe Boulevard and U.S. 301, would have benefited from forward-thinking regarding pedestrians and cyclists.

“Now, we’re going to have a problem, of how to get people safely from the south side of Two Rivers to the north side of Two Rivers,” Starkey said. “If we had just gone up a little in elevation, it would have been a lot cheaper than whatever the solution is going to be.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed with Starkey’s observation. He told her: “You brought up a great point way back at State Road 52 and (Interstate) 75, about doing something for cyclists to be able to go under that bridge, as well, that did get accomplished. It delayed the project a little bit, but I think it was well worth it.”

Starkey said: “I think it was a $1 million redo. “That is much cheaper than a $10 million, $12 million flyover for cyclists — or whatever other solution there could have been.”

Mariano said he would like the state roads department to take another look at the wildlife crossings proposed for the State Road 52 project.

“Instead of being tight underneath, maybe it should be a big box culvert that will actually allow a couple of bicyclists width-wise to go through. I think it’s something we should explore. It’s a lot cheaper to do it now, than it would be later,” Mariano said.

Justin Hall, with the Florida Department of Transportation, said the department will consider the request. “I can circle back with the project manager and we can take a look at that.”

The issue of advance planning to improve safety and mobility also came up during discussion of two work task orders, approved by the board after discussion.

In one work task, Aecom will prepare Active Transportation Plan procedures and outline a public engagement process.

The consultant will “assist with the actual plan development; the recommended schedule, preparing draft templates for how the plan should be put together and also prepare the next steps. It’s essentially the strategic approach for how to put together the Active Transportation Plan, which is something the county has not had in more recent times,” said Nectarios Pittos, acting executive director for the Pasco MPO.

That work task order was approved for $49,917.25.

The second work task order is being handled by Tindale Oliver & Associates.

“This will include available data sources, data assembly, demographics, data gap, data collection, GIS mapping, crash data analysis, technical memo development, review of comprehensive plan and right of way preservation with standards,” Pittos said.

“This is essentially the technical understanding of what information we have, ahead of the plan formation,” he said. That work task order was approved for $48,666.14.

By having the two work task orders done at the same time, the MPO hopes to finish phase one of the project by the end of June, so it can begin plan development starting in August, Pittos said.

Starkey asked if this planning would be an appropriate place to consider policies that the MPO would like to be considered during future road planning.

“Certainly when they’re developing the plan, there will be recommendations and policies established in that plan. Our understanding is that this plan is going to take a lot of cue from the long-range transportation plan, so there will be a definite dove-tailing of the two documents.

“So, you’ll be able to make recommendations and essentially set policy as well, in these documents.

“The MPO can have its own policy and work with the various jurisdictions that are working with the MPO, to follow that policy,” Pittos said.

Published March 03, 2021

Transit survey offers Pasco residents a say

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Judy Geiger would like to see Trilby Road widened, to improve its safety.

The Dade City resident explained the need: “We have a number of bicyclists. The roads are not wide enough to accommodate them and the cars. If you get behind a set of (bicyclists), you’re stuck. It’s not safe.”

At a July 23 workshop, Rob Cursey, left, of Tindale Oliver, and Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley discuss the potential projects that may arise in the Mobility 2045 Transportation Plan. Pasco residents are encouraged to give their input during an online survey. (Brian Fernandes)

She was among those attending a recent workshop held by the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to gather community feedback and suggestions for its 2045 Transportation Plan.

The Pasco MPO is encouraging residents to partake in its current Mobility 2045 Transportation Survey to provide information it can consider in its future transportation planning. It held recent workshops in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel and Dade City to promote the survey.

Geiger attended the workshop at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City. She had not yet taken the survey, but said she planned to do so and to point out her safety concerns.

Nancy Hazelwood, also of Dade City, attended the workshop, too. She said she doesn’t like the idea of expanding Blanton Road in Dade City. She thinks that would lead to more traffic and commercial development.

“We’re a rural community and we hope to stay a rural community,” she explained. “Zoning and land use should stay the same.”

At the Dade City workshop, Wally Blain, a senior project manager at Tindale Oliver, was among those present to field questions.

Tindale Oliver works with the MPO on various projects.

“The purpose of this survey is [to] review these needs, identify what’s a priority, and as we build a cost-affordable plan, we have a priority order,” Blain explained.

Potential economic impacts and job growth also are key factors in determining what projects may be implemented, Blain noted.

While the survey addresses projects that the county has had on its agenda for some time, it also took into account public feedback from the 2018 ‘It’s Time Pasco’ survey as well.

With more than 140 projects pinpointed on a map of Pasco County, those taking the survey can click on any given project, examine the details, react to the plan and offer comments.

Participants also can recommend projects they think are important, which the county can consider.

“Most of it are those community-based needs,” Blain said of the feedback. “We need sidewalks and mini-bike lanes, or we need better maintenance of roads.”

Blain also noted: “One key intersection that is focused on in the comments, is the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 interchange that FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) currently has a project funded for. It’s good to know that those things that are getting the most comments are the things that are actually in the pipeline first, to get done.”

The workshop also offered boards of schematics with aerial views of the projects reflected on the survey.

The visual displays helped Blain to show what the county would like to see occur in its long-term plans.

Schematics show where additional lighting, pedestrian overpasses and roundabouts could be implemented county-wide.

Added lanes are also a focal point of major roadways such as U.S. 19; state roads 52, 54 and 56; and Interstate 75.

According to the MPO, more than 1,100 miles of additional roadway lanes are needed by 2045, along with six major intersections and interchanges.

A five-year capital budget plan is being analyzed to see what funds are available in the near future.

Meanwhile, long-term allocations look bleak.

Roadway costs for the 2045 plan are estimated to exceed $7 billion. Available revenue falls far short of that.

The survey is open to the public until August 15 and can be found at CommunityRemarks.com/pascocounty/.

The Mobility 2045 Transportation plan is expected to be adopted in December.

Published July 31, 2019

Pace of Pasco’s road construction picking up in 2019

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It’s no secret that dealing with traffic congestion is a way of life for Pasco County residents.

Whether they’re commuting to work, taking the kids to school, going grocery shopping, heading to a doctor’s appointment or taking care of myriad daily needs, there’s good chance motorists will get stuck in traffic and have to wait for traffic lights to cycle at intersections.

Traffic is backed up, on the access road from Interstate 75, heading to State Road 56. (Fred Bellet)

Getting anywhere can be a hassle at peak traffic hours — regardless of the direction drivers are going.

The good news is that 2019 is likely to go down as a banner year with respect to the number of projects aimed at improving traffic flow.

Here’s a look at what is underway, planned for construction, or under study for possible improvements, based on presentations by Florida Department of Transportation officials, transportation department fact sheets and previous reporting by The Laker/Lutz News.

The Diverging Diamond
One massive project, set to get underway this month, is called the Diverging Diamond Interchange.

It aims to reduce congestion at the Interstate 75-State Road 56 interchange, through a reconfiguration of the intersection, in an area between County Road 54 and Cypress Ridge Boulevard.

Eastbound traffic on State Road 54 at the Interstate 75 underpass.

The new design is expected to improve traffic flow, thus reducing travel time for motorists.

The estimated construction cost is $33 million, and the project is expected to take three years to complete.

Extension of State Road 56
Another significant project involves the extension of State Road 56, beginning at Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel and ending at U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Work on this 6-mile extension began in 2017. It has an estimated construction cost of $59.1 million.

Initially expected to be completed in the fall, the road could open as early as this spring, David Gwynn, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation District 7, said during the Discover Dade City symposium in November.

The project includes a four-lane road, with a 10-foot multi-use trail on the south side of the road and a 5-foot sidewalk on the north side. There will be 7-foot bicycle lanes on the shoulders, in each direction.

Northbound traffic on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41, stacks up and waits for the traffic light to turn green.

New signalized intersections also are being built on Morris Bridge Road, where the new State Road 56 crosses it, and on U.S. 301, where the new State Road 56 ties into it.

Also, the City of Zephyrhills requested a study to evaluate extending State Road 56 from U.S. 301 to State Road 39 with a connection to U.S. 98.

And, another study is looking into realigning U.S. 98, where U.S. 301 intersects with Clinton Avenue.

The Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization also has requested a study to evaluate the potential for the realignment of U.S. 98 at the U.S. 301, in the area of Clinton Avenue (new State Road 52).

U.S. 41 and State Road 54
While the need for a solution to daily traffic jams at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 is widely known, it is not yet clear how the issue will be addressed. Here are alternatives that have been identified, according to a state transportation department document:

  • Elevated express lanes at major intersections; express lanes on the ground for the remainder; and bus services in express lanes.
  • Parallel flow intersection.
  • Elevated lanes at major intersections; bus or rail in separate lanes, combined with a continuous flow intersection.
  • No Build: Maintaining six lanes on the ground and current transit services.
Motorists heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41, wait in the daily backup, just south of State Road 54.

State Road 52 improvements
Projects are in various stages along the State Road 52 corridor. Here’s a synopsis:

  • Suncoast Parkway to east of U.S. 41: This project will widen a 3.8-mile stretch from two lanes to six lanes, with a 12-foot multi-use trail to be built on the north side of State Road 52. The project also includes a 1-mile widening of U.S. 41, approaching the intersection with State Road 52. Construction is expected to begin in 2019.
  • East of U.S. 41 to County Road 581 (Bellamy Brothers Boulevard): Calls for widening the two-lane road to a four-lane divided road. The 8.5-mile improvement also includes a 12-foot multi-use trail on the north side of the road. The project is under design, but there is no construction funding at this time.
  • County Road 581 (Bellamy Brothers Boulevard) to Old Pasco Road: Widening the two-lane road to a four-lane road, with a median. The 1.5-mile project has an estimated cost of $13.4 million and is scheduled to be completed this spring.
  • State Road 52 widening and new alignment, from Uradco Place to west of Fort King Road.

Between Uradco Place and Bayou Branch Canal, the existing road will be widened to a four-lane divided highway.

East of Bayou Branch Canal, the new alignment will be a four-lane, divided State Road 52, built south of the existing State Road 52, tying into Clinton Avenue.

Heading east, past Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, barricades guide motorists through ongoing widening construction.

Clinton Avenue, between County Road 579 and Fort King Road, will be a widened to a four-lane divided road.

Clinton Avenue, between Pasadena Avenue and U.S. 301, will be designated County Road 52, after the construction of the new State Road 52 is complete.

Construction is expected to begin in late 2019.

 

Other projects
Interstate 75 interchange at Overpass Road
Pasco County is building a future interchange at I-75 and Pasco Road. The project is scheduled for letting in 2020.

U.S. 301/U.S. 98
Resurfacing/bike lanes

An eastbound school bus turns south on to Old Pasco Road, an area where road construction continues.

Project limits: Pond Avenue to north of Long Avenue/Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City

is in design. Construction is expected to begin in 2019.

Wesley Chapel Intermodal Center Study
This study, expected to be completed in late summer, will identify the needs and location of an intermodal center that will serve as a hub for local and regional transit. It includes the analysis of facility needs, location, cost, funding, connectivity and conceptual design.

Proposed U.S. 301 widening
Another project calls for widening U.S. 301, from a four-lane road to six lanes, from County Road 54/Eiland Boulevard to north of Kossik Road, in Zephyrhills. That construction is not yet funded.

Brian Fernandes contributed to this report.

Published January 9, 2019

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

Priorities set for sidewalk and road projects

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Board members of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization have adopted a priority list for road projects that is largely unchanged from last year.

But, there is one exception: The list now includes a plan to widen U.S. 301 to a four-lane divided highway from the Hillsborough County line to State Road 56.

The five-year work program runs through fiscal year 2020-2021.

While there’s little change on the road list, the sidewalk list is a different story.

Nine new projects for 5-foot sidewalks are listed as priorities in the 2016-2017 work plan.

Six of those in the top 10 have jumped ahead of other longtime sidewalk requests.

Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure. (File Photo)
Lutz residents on Leonard Road want sidewalks built along the two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Cot Road as a safety measure.
(File Photo)

The shift in priorities prompted questions by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano. Mariano wonders if the ranking system is fair to communities that have waited years for sidewalks.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Mariano at the Sept. 8 board meeting of the MPO.

Among sidewalk projects that Mariano hoped to see higher on the list were Ranch Road, Zimmerman Road and Majestic Boulevard.

Lutz residents also have lobbied over the years for sidewalks on Leonard Road.

That project sits in the 20th slot, near the bottom of 25 proposed projects.

Mariano said he planned to meet with MPO staff members to review the criteria used to rank projects.

MPO Vice Chairman Jeff Starkey also took issue with the criteria.

“What if we don’t agree with how you’re calculating this?” he asked.

The lists of road, transit, multi-use paths and sidewalk projects are updated annually and submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation so they can be considered in FDOT’s five-year work plan for federally funded projects in Pasco.

Sidewalks, multi-use paths and trails are ranked on a point system based on criteria such as speed limits, connectivity to existing sidewalks and trails, accessibility to schools and transit stops, improved mobility in low-income and minority neighborhoods, and the consecutive years a project has been on the list.

Mariano said communities aren’t getting enough credit for time waited. There also are situations, he said, where speed limits might be low, but safety is still an issue for other reasons.

Changes can be made, and projects aren’t automatically done in order of their listing, said James Edwards, the Pasco MPO director.

The availability of money is a factor, he added.

“You don’t follow it in lock step,” Edwards said. “Things will shift around.”

The new sidewalk projects are:

  • Ridge Road/Little Road to Rowan Road
  • Congress Street/north of Lomand Avenue to Ridge Road
  • Old County Road 54/Little Road to State Road 54
  • U.S. 41/Lake Bambi Circle to State Road 52
  • Darlington Road at U.S. 19 to Sunray Drive
  • Fort King Road/17th Street/Morningside to Coleman Avenue
  • Regency Park Boulevard/ U.S. 19 to Cherry Creek Lane
  • Darlington Road/U.S. 19 to Hama Drive
  • 17th Street/Meridian Avenue to County Road 41/Lock Street

For a complete list of the MPO’s 2016 priority projects, visit PascoCountyFl.net.

Published September 14, 2016

Pasco wants a say in path of recreational trail

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The Florida Department of Transportation is studying the proposed path for the South Sumter Connector Trail, a segment needed to close a gap in the planned 275-mile Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Connector Trail.

Two routes are being considered for the connector, but just one passes through Pasco County. Most of both possible routes is in Sumter County, but the stakes are high for communities in Pasco, Sumter and Hernando counties that envision opportunities for recreation, tourism and economic development.

Kathryn Starkey
Kathryn Starkey

The completed trail will pass through nine counties and link nearly 20 trails across the state from Pinellas County to Brevard County.

The issue is slated for discussion on Sept. 10, at the 10 a.m. meeting of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s monthly board meeting. The session will be at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

The agenda will focus on gathering public input for a southern route that begins along abandoned rail beds in northeast Pasco, parallels State Road 50, and crosses through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It ends in eastern Sumter.

“The trail is going to be marketed internationally to a very active group of travelers,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

“I think it’s going to be a really good tourism draw for our county,” added Starkey, who also serves on the MPO board.

At one time, the expectation was for the trail route to come through Pasco, but since then, a second northern option was added, Starkey said.

The proposed northern route begins in western Hernando County, and then moves southeast to Sumter along former railroad right-of-way. It would link the towns of Webster and Center Hill, and connect with the Withlacoochee State Trail.

At the Sept. 2 meeting of the MPO’s Citizens Advisory Committee, James Edwards, transportation manager for the Pasco MPO, said, “Let’s move to the next stage. How do we have an impact on the decision?”

The state roads department has no announced public meetings in Pasco on the trail routes and study.

The kick-off meeting for the 18-month feasibility study was on May 7 in the town of Webster. The study is slated to conclude in June 2016.

According to FDOT records of the meeting, nearly 125 people attended, but fewer than 3 percent were from Pasco.

While there was support for the route into Pasco, FDOT records show some hunters objected to the southern route, which they said would disrupt or halt hunting season in the area.

“This (Sept. 10 MPO meeting) is effectively going to wind up being our public meeting,” Edwards said. “The study is still ongoing. Information is coming forward on both these alignments.”

Starkey has sent a letter in support of Pasco’s selection, and has spoken with FDOT officials.

If the route through Pasco isn’t selected, the commissioner said she would continue to pursue completion of a trail that would go through Dade City.

The northeastern area of the county, which is noted for its hilly landscapes, is a popular bicycle destination for many bicycle clubs, said Allen Howell, a bicycle and pedestrian planner with the MPO.

“Pasco County and its citizens are making a big effort to become the bicycle capital of the state,” Starkey said. “It’s important for economic prosperity.”

Published September 9, 2015