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The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Shady Hills Road

Priority highway projects focus on growth spots

August 12, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Growth is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to building, widening and re-aligning highways that crisscross Pasco County’s landscape.

Most highways in the county move north and south. It is the east to west connections that are often missing or out-of-date.

The recently approved 2015 Priority List of Highway Projects tapped into that scenario. The Florida Department of Transportation uses the list as a guide for its long-range planning, and in determining when and where to spend its state and federal dollars.

County officials say traffic improvements are high priority for the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. A study is underway but no construction funds are available. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
County officials say traffic improvements are high priority for the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. A study is underway but no construction funds are available.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Among 15 projects identified by Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, all but two are in central and east Pasco. The top choices take aim at State Road 52 from its intersection with U.S. 41 in central Pasco to Dade City in east Pasco.

“It’s going to rectify a situation of having more direct east-west local connectors,” said James Edwards, Pasco County’s transportation planning manager. “It is going to be a growth center for the county.”

Also on the list is the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. The roads bisect Land O’ Lakes and serve as a clearinghouse for a high volume of truck and residential traffic.

The intersection is west of the retail explosion on State Road 54 and State Road 56, where Tampa Premium Outlets is slated to open in October. More shops, restaurants, hotels and rooftops are on their way in the next couple of years.

“What we’re faced with at the outlets (mall) will be congestion and future congestion,” Edwards said.

In September, the county plans to schedule workshops to get public input on the kinds of road projects needed to address traffic near the outlet mall, and between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

By placing emphasis on State Road 52 now, county officials are hoping to come out ahead of the development curve with road upgrades, before developers start digging dirt for rooftops and retail.

The proposed roadwork is part of ongoing efforts to widen and realign an important regional corridor that could eventually stretch across Florida from west coastal Pasco to the U.S. 98 junction, and on to Palm Beach.

The state roads department is completing a study for a four-year plan to build a new four-lane State Road 52, south of the current highway that passes through San Antonio, Saint Leo and Dade City. This project envisions construction of an approximately 8.5 mile, four-lane extension of Clinton Avenue. Pedestrian and bicycle lanes will be built on either side of the highway. When that project is completed, the old highway would become County Road 52.

The state roads department anticipates that design work and right-of-way purchase will be done over the next two years.

Construction is slated for 2019, according to the department’s records.

In west Pasco, a segment of State Road 52 had a makeover in 2007 when it was widened to six lanes from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway. Going east past the Suncoast, State Road 52 narrows to four then two lanes as it approaches Shady Hills Road.

The Metropolitan Planning Organization proposes construction along a major segment of roadway in central Pasco by widening it from two to four lanes from U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Road.

Along with this, another priority is a north-south segment on U.S. 41, which would be widened to four lanes from Connerton Boulevard and the Ridge Road extension up to the intersection with State Road 52.

However, the caveat with all of the identified projects is that none has construction funds on the immediate horizon. County officials estimate the price tag for these projects is more than $750 million spread out over the next 25 years.

Funding will have to come from a mix of county, state and federal dollars.

These are the projects for central and east Pasco, according to county records:

  • State Road 52 from U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard will go from two lanes to four lanes. Preliminary engineering is underway.
  • U.S. 41 from Connerton Boulevard/Ridge Road Extension to State Road 52 will go from two lanes to four lanes. Construction is anticipated in 2019-2020.
  • State Road 52 and Clinton Avenue extension adds four lanes from east of Uradco Place to Fort King Road. Construction is anticipated in 2018-2019.
  • State Road 54 at the U.S. 41 interchange is under study.
  • Interstate 75, at Overpass Road/interchange from Old Pasco Road to Boyette Road, is set for construction in 2019-2020, with full funding by Pasco County.
  • U.S. 98 at U.S. 301- Clinton Avenue intersection realignment. This is not funded.
  • U.S. 301- Gall Boulevard redesign at Sixth and Seventh streets, from State Road 39 to County Road 54, is being planned. This construction is unfunded.
  • State Road 56 at Interstate 75 interchange, from west of County Road 54 to west of Cypress Ridge Boulevard. Planning and engineering are scheduled in 2016-2017.
  • U.S. 301 – Gall Boulevard will go from four lanes to six lanes from State Road 56 to State Road 39. Preliminary engineering is underway, but construction is unfunded.
  • U.S. 301- Gall Boulevard from will go from four lanes to six lanes from County Road 54 at Eiland Boulevard to Kossik Road. Design is underway. Right of way and construction are unfunded.
  • State Road 54 at Collier Parkway interchange. Right of way is funded over a 10-year period.
  • State Road 56 will go from two lanes to four lanes from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301, near Zephyrhills. A state infrastructure bank loan is pending.

Published August 12, 2015

Filed Under: Top Story Tagged With: Bellamy Brothers Road, Boyette Road, Clinton Avenue, Collier Parkway, Connerton Boulevard, County Road 54, Cypress Ridge Boulevard, Dade City, Eiland Boulevard, Florida Department of Transportation, Fort King Road, Interstate 75, James Edwards, Kossik Road, Land O' Lakes, Meadow Pointe Boulevard, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Moon Lake Road, Old Pasco Road, Ridge Road, Saint Leo, San Antonio, Seventh Street, Shady Hills Road, Sixth Street, State Road 39, State Road 52, State Road 54, Suncoast Parkway, Tampa Premium Outlets, U.S. 301, U.S. 41, U.S. 98, Uradco Place, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills

Super snacks coming to select Pasco schools

September 12, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County is getting the chance to test a new after-school meals pilot program with the new offering of a “super snack” at select schools in the district.

A component of the Child Care Food program, it’s designed to provide nutritious snacks and meals to children in after-school programs. It’s funded through the U.S. Department of Health — unlike the school meal program, which is done with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While the new “super snack” program is primarily same as the existing snack program, the select schools will now be able to offer five components for a snack, instead of two, according to a release. That’s because schools and the district’s food and nutrition department felt that the smaller snack was not enough for many of the kids at schools where more than half the students already receive free or reduced lunches.

Those who can participate in the snack program must be enrolled in an approved after-school or extended-day program. Snacks are available at no separate charge to children at the following sites:

• Anclote High School, 1540 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday
• Cox Elementary School, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dade City
• Crews Lake Middle School, 15144 Shady Hills Road, Spring Hill
• Gulf Middle School, 6419 Louisiana Ave., New Port Richey
• Gulfside Elementary School, 2329 Anclote Blvd., Holiday
• Hudson Middle School, 14540 Cobra Way, Hudson
• Lacoochee Elementary School, 38815 Cummer Road, Dade City
• Pasco High School, 36850 State Road 52, Dade City
• Smith Middle School, 1410 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday
• Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., Zephyrhills
• Taylor Elementary School, 3638 Morris Bridge Road, Zephyrhills
• Woodland Elementary School, 38203 Henry Drive, Zephyrhills

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: 10th Avenue, Anclote Boulevard, Anclote High School, Child Care Food, Cobra Way, Cox Elementary School, Crews Lake Middle School, Cummer Road, Dade City, Gulf Middle School, Gulfside Elementary School, Henry Drive, Holiday, Hudson, Hudson Middle School, Lacoochee Elementary School, Louisiana Avenue, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Morris Bridge Road, New Port Richey, Pasco County, Pasco High School, Shady Hills Road, Smith Middle School, Spring Hill, State Road 52, Stewart Middle School, Sweetbriar Drive, Taylor Elementary School, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health, Woodland Elementary School, Zephyrhills

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01/21/2021 – Gasparilla History

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will host a virtual session entitled “The History of Gasparilla” on Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m., for teens and adults. Those that tune in can learn the legend of Jose Gaspar, intertwined with facts, fallacies and fantasy. The program will be presented by Carl Zielonka in partnership with the Tampa Bay History Center. Registration is through the calendar feature at HCPLC.org. … [Read More...] about 01/21/2021 – Gasparilla History

01/21/2021 – Math at home

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The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present “Foodie Feast: Chickpeas” on Jan. 22 for anyone who wants to learn to make a tasty dish of chickpeas. The prerecorded video can be viewed between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 01/22/2021 – Chickpea dish

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01/23/2021 – Dumpling soup

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present “Cook-a-Book: Soup” on Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. This month the book, “Dumpling Soup” by Jama Kim Rattigan will be featured. Participants can hear the story and then learn to make a kid-friendly dumpling soup. For information and to see the presentation, visit Facebook.com/regencyparklibrary. … [Read More...] about 01/23/2021 – Dumpling soup

01/23/2021 – Hobby Circle

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer a Hobby Circle on Jan. 23 at 3 p.m., for anyone who wants to share a hobby or learn about a new one — from a work of art to a new recipe, to a favorite video game. The group will meet via Zoom. For information, email . … [Read More...] about 01/23/2021 – Hobby Circle

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