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Tindale Oliver

2045 roadway plan officially pushes forward

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board has approved the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan that includes numerous projects that are expected to be pursued within a 20-year time frame.

“The goal is to develop [a] cost-affordable plan that covers a minimum of 20 years through the planning process,” Wally Blain, of Tindale Oliver, told the MPO board during a Dec. 11 meeting at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse.

The evaluation of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 is underway and a part of the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. This agenda was passed by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Dec. 11. (File)

The 2045 plan is a revision of the 2040 plan. It prioritizes road in greatest need.

The long-range plan is updated every five years and is subject to revision.

Its feasibility is determined by what funds are allocated on the federal, state and local levels.

The planning process also included a public comment period, from Nov. 6 to Dec.6.

“More than 2,500 residents of Pasco participated in those and provided input on the transportation planning process,” Blain noted.

One comment noted that trucks are traveling faster on Ehren Cutoff, since the road’s shoulders were expanded. Another cited a lack of north-south improvements in Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills compared to east-west improvements. And, there was a suggestion for a train service to connect Pasco County with Orlando and Tallahassee.

While the feedback was noted, priority road improvements must be dealt with first, Blain said.

The 2045 plan includes changes in the way revenues are distributed for transportation-related improvements.

The 2045 plan contrasts to the 2040 plan as follows:

  • Funding for roadway capacity rose from 64% to 71%
  • Funding for transit decreased from 25% to 9%
  • Funding for sidewalks and bicycle facilities increased from 1% to 2%
  • Funding for technology/congestion management rose from 1% to 3%
  • Funding for roadway maintenance rose from 9% to 14%

Projects in the 2045 plan include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes, from U.S. 41 to Old Pasco Road
  • A one-way pair conversion, along U.S. 301
  • Widening of U.S. 301 to six lanes, from Eiland Boulevard to Kossik Road
  • Widening of Old Pasco Road to four lanes, from Wesley Chapel Boulevard to State Road 52
  • Widening of Overpass Road to four lanes, from Interstate 75 to U.S. 301
  • Extending Tower Road to U.S. 41

The Vision 54/56 project has $600 million for improvements, but specific changes have yet to be determined.

“State Road 54 is a key corridor that the MPO has taken as a priority in this plan, as well as the 2040 plan,” Blain said.

The MPO has been working along with the Florida Department of Transportation to address the issue.

The state transportation department is conducting an evaluation to determine potential improvements at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The approved long-range transportation plan will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation. These agencies utilize the adopted plan to implement numerous federal and state-funded transportation projects in Pasco County.

In addition to long-range planning, Blain also covered a number of projects that are ongoing and committed in the five-year plan, which runs through 2024.

Those include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
  • Widening U.S. 41 to four lanes, south of State Road 52
  • Ridge Road extension from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway (The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to begin work on the project on Dec. 20)
  • Construction of a new State Road 52 alignment, east of Interstate 75 to Clinton Avenue
  • Construction of an Interstate 75/Overpass Road interchange.
  • Widening of Collier Parkway to four lanes, from Bell Lake Road to Parkway Boulevard

Published December 25, 2019

Long-term planning efforts continue for Pasco’s roads

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Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will adopt a new plan, in December, pushing forward its long-term agenda for the county’s road system.

Its 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan gives an overview of what roadway modifications could be made within a 20-year span.

Wally Blain of Tindale Oliver and Kasey Cursey of AECOM, consultants who work alongside the county’s MPO, explained some highlights of the 2045 plan at a luncheon hosted by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, on Oct. 8.

Some key projects include:

  • Widening State Road 52 to six lanes, from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
  • Widening State Road 52 to four lanes from U.S. 41 to Old Pasco Road
  • Widening U.S. 41 to four lanes, from its intersection with State Road 52, heading south to Connerton Boulevard
  • Extending Ridge Road, from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway
  • Constructing a new State Road 52 alignment, east of Interstate 75, to connect with Clinton Avenue

Improvements on State Road 54 also are planned, but how to proceed has not yet been determined.

While State Road 54 continues to be an ever-congested corridor, especially at the intersection with U.S. 41, the roadway may see new improvements in Pasco County’s 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. (Brian Fernandes)

“We know that State Road 54 is a huge priority for the county,” Blain said. “There’s been much discussion about what would be the preferred solution or strategy for State Road 54.”

The map indicates that the Vision 54/56 plan will be evaluated for potential transit improvements, overpasses, elevated lanes and alternative intersection designs.

“[The] county and DOT (Department of Transportation) are working on the coordination of traffic signals on State Road 54,” Blain noted.

However, there are no plans to widen State Roads 54 and 56 respectively, from U.S. 41 to U.S. 301, according to the map.

Blain said: ”What we’re doing in the plan is we’re setting aside the money to do the project, and as those studies are completed, implementation can begin to happen right away.”

Currently, there is $395 million set aside for Vision 54/56 studies and improvements.

The long-range plan also proposes revamping the county’s public transportation system. That includes adding Sunday services, increasing the frequency for bus pickups and drop offs, and extending services to as late as 11:30 p.m.

“The MPO is a federally funded and mandated organization. It’s required in large metropolitan areas to do the transportation planning – where will people live and where will jobs exist, according to our crystal ball, by the year 2045,” Blain said.

Based on those projections, schematics of Pasco County were drawn showing potential road connections and widenings, as well as improvements to the transit system, he said.

Pasco County residents were surveyed in 2018 to get feedback on the MPO’s proposed plans. About 1,600 surveys were received.

Needs were identified, and then, he said, “we look at our revenues and what can we afford based on our expected revenue streams.”

Another survey was conducted for additional public feedback over the summer, to consider practical suggestions that could be implemented in the MPO’s cost-affordable plan.

While Pasco County’s transportation system receives appropriations from the federal and state levels, it also collects revenue from the county’s Penny for Pasco surtax.

The program raises funds through a one-penny surcharge for every dollar of sales tax collected by the county.

Of the portion allocated to the county, 18% goes toward transportation.

The 2045 long-range plan calls for the renewal of the Penny for Pasco program after 2024, as it currently stands.

Transportation revenues collected from federal, state and county levels are projected to exceed $7 billion from 2025 to 2045, Blain said.

Every five years, the Long Range Transportation Plan is reevaluated for potential modifications.

The 2045 plan would see slight allocation increases to specific projects in contrast to the 2040 plan.

Here are some specifics:

  • Road capacity would receive 69%, compared to 64%
  • Sidewalks and bicycle facilities would receive 3%, compared to 1%
  • Technology and congestion management also would receive 3%, compared to 1%
  • Roadway maintenance would receive 15%, compared to 9%

But, Blain also noted that transit projects would see a decline from 25% to 10%.

That decrease is due to the MPO’s assumption that there will not be any new local taxes or revenues generated toward transportation, Blain added.

The public is encouraged to engage in a 30-day comment period, starting on Nov. 1.

For more information or to give comment feedback, please visit MobilityPasco.com.

MPO public workshops
Where/When: New Port Richey Public Library, 5939 Main St., in New Port Richey (Nov. 5 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.); Pasco County Historic Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Avenue in Dade City (Nov. 6 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.); The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel (day/time to be announced).
Cost: Free
Details: The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization will unveil and explain to guests its roadway projections for 2025 to 2045.
Info: Visit MobilityPasco.com.

Published October 16, 2019

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

MPO eyes ways to boost transportation funding

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board is looking at ways to fund future transportation projects — including the possibility of increased revenues from the Penny for Pasco program or amendments to the county’s mobility fee program.

Under the current Penny for Pasco program, which expires in 2024, revenues are raised through a one-penny surcharge for every dollar of sales tax generated within the county.

Manny Lajmiri, senior planner for the Metropolitan Planning Organization, was one of several advocates for the new set of Penny for Pasco options. The proposals were presented to the MPO board at its June 11 meeting. (Brian Fernandes)

The tax revenue is divided among the Pasco County Commission, the school board and Pasco County municipalities. The county receives 45 percent; the school board, 45 percent; and the municipalities split 10 percent.

Of the county’s share, 18 percent goes toward transportation needs.

Existing revenue sources within the MPO’s 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan would amount to $3.2 billion, if Penny for Pasco was discontinued after 2024.

Under the 2045 plan, roadway needs are estimated at $7.6 billion – resulting in a deficit.

Wally Blain is a senior project manager at the Tindale Oliver company, which collaborates with the MPO.

Blain presented five scenarios, along with estimates of revenue they would generate, for the board’s consideration.

At a previous meeting, MPO board members considered options that would have allowed voters to renew the penny surtax, while at the same time, implementing an additional penny or half-penny on top. That idea was dropped because it was deemed to “not be a reasonable expectation” for voters to approve, the project manager said.

But, some MPO members expressed concerns about the new approach, too.

“For us to put that burden on future members is concerning to me,” said board member Mike Moore, a member of the Pasco County Commission. “I don’t think those scenarios should be there.”

However, Jack Mariano, also a board member who sits on the Pasco County Commission, had another idea: “I don’t want to cut the transportation down, but we want to look real closely at environmental lands. Maybe it’s time to build more trails [and] sidewalks.”

David Goldstein of the Pasco County Attorney’s Office stepped to the podium alongside Blain, to make a case for the new approach.

Goldstein affirmed that while the scenarios would not clear the deficit, they would result in substantial revenue growth.

MPO member Kathryn Starkey, another Pasco County commission board member, however, moved the conversation toward using mobility fees as a means of raising funds.

Mobility fees are charged to new development to help pay for the transportation impacts they create.

Starkey contends that the county waives fees for some commercial development that don’t need incentives to set up shop in Pasco.

“A source of revenue is to maybe not give discounts to fast food [restaurants] and only give it to targeted industries that bring high-paying jobs,” Starkey suggested.

But, Goldstein said the county commissioners should have taken that into consideration when working out the updates last year. The next mobility fee update is not scheduled for five years, he added.

Goldstein also said that removing incentives on restaurants and even hotels would not result in a significant boost in revenue.

The board took no action on the issue, and additional discussion is expected at the MPO’s August session.

Five scenarios for road funds

  • Scenario 1: Penny for Pasco extends through 2045, with current surtax kept in place

(That would yield an additional $335 million)

  • Scenario 2: Penny for Pasco extends through 2045, with a half-penny added in 2038

(That would yield an additional $398 million)

  • Scenario 3: Penny for Pasco extends through 2045, with a half-penny added in 2028

(That would yield an additional $818 million)

  • Scenario 4: Penny for Pasco extends through 2045, with one penny added in 2038

(That would yield an additional $796 million)

  • Scenario 5: Penny for Pasco extends through 2045, with one penny added in 2028

(That would yield an additional $1.6 billion)

These estimates reflect the accumulated figures from 2025 to 2045, providing the penny program continued past 2024.

Published June 26, 2019

An underpass for U.S. 41/State Road 54?

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Talk of solving traffic jams at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 often centers on building elevated lanes to ease massive numbers of vehicles through the intersection.

But now, Pasco County’s Metro Planning Organization wants to toss in a new solution – an underpass that would tunnel under the intersection.

Pasco County will consider an underpass as a solution to traffic gridlock at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. (File)

Consultants with Tindale-Oliver will complete a $15,000 study to determine if the underpass would work, and what the potential costs would be. The study, which will also consider an underpass at Little Road and State Road 54, is expected to take 60 days to 90 days.

“We should be able to see every possible option that is available,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey agreed.

“I think we should see if it’s an option or not,” she said.

The study’s answers will determine whether to add the underpass to a list of recommendations already produced by a volunteer task force. The task force for “Vision 54/56” has spent about two years on the matter.

They whittled 18 recommendations to four recommendations. Their choices included a system of parallel frontage roads at-grade level and elevated express lanes at major intersections. No build also is an option, but underpasses weren’t in the mix.

Task force member Sandy Graves said digging underground raises concerns about sinkholes. “How would that work?” she asked.

The MPO board, which reviews transportation matters, is composed of Pasco County commissioners, and elected officials of the county’s cities. David Gwynn, secretary of District 7 for the Florida Department of Transportation, is a nonvoting advisor.

The board unanimously approved funds for the study at the Jan. 11 meeting in Dade City. Board members tabled a review and vote on the recommendations from the task force.

If the underpass is deemed feasible, the county could ask the task force to reconvene. The cost of the study initially was $35,000, which included the consultants facilitating a task force meeting with documentation and additional analysis.

MPO board members balked at the additional $20,000 of cost, choosing instead to explore holding a future task force meeting with county staff members.

Trinity resident and commercial real estate agent Charles Puccini spoke during public comment and urged the board to carefully consider their final recommendations. He said the roadwork on U.S. 19 has made area businesses less visible and accessible.

“Make sure the solutions do not effectively block and damage the economy of Pasco County,” he said.

Regarding the task force, Puccini said: “It’s a great idea what you’re doing here.”

Published January 24, 2018

More details sought in State Road 54/56 design debate

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Task force members want more information before reaching conclusions on future road designs aimed at easing traffic congestion along the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor.

The task force met Aug. 24 in a public meeting to review 11 road alternatives, and a no build option.

Task force members are expected to whittle their road list to three or four plus the no build option.

A task force is studying solutions to traffic congestion on State Road 54 and State Road 56, including the busy intersection at U.S. 41.
(File)

Just one more meeting, in October, had been planned, but task force members asked for a workshop in addition to the final meeting to get more details on the road selections. That workshop will be an open session, but no public comment will be taken.

That workshop likely will be scheduled in October.

The entire study is being done in phases, with additional meetings planned for 2018.

The task force is studying the corridor from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west.

The current focus is on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

The Aug. 24 meeting laid out the complexity of the issue.

Task force members are studying five elevated toll lanes, five at-grade level road designs, and a no build option.

Opinions are divided.

“I have been an absolute no build,” said Christie Zimmer, who is a member of the citizens’ advisory board for the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. But, looking at the possibilities, she added, “Something needs to happen. We have to come up with an alternative.”

Chris Saenz said the task force lacked the diversity to reflect the larger Pasco County community. He suggested a referendum could help settle the matter.

Maintenance and operating costs also will drive up already burgeoning costs of construction and right-of-way purchases, Saenz said.

One at-grade level option, with express bus lanes, could potentially cost nearly $1 billion to build.

“The cost of ownership is going to take ya’ll to the poor house,” he said. “Let’s not lose sight of that,” Saenz said.

Saenz represents Pasco Fiasco, a grassroots group that fought against a 2014 proposal to build a privately funded 33-mile express toll road over the top of State Road 56 and State Road 54. That project was scrapped.

Residents also have strongly opposed a more recent proposal from Florida Department of Transportation to build a fly-over, with toll lanes —  to ease traffic at the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

That proposal is among the alternatives on task force members’ list, but state transportation officials put the project on hold.

That decision is part of the reason why two task forces were formed in 2015 to come up with a future transportation vision for the corridor.

The current task force, with some members from the previous two groups, began meeting in early 2016.

Bill Ball, a principal at Tindale Oliver, acknowledged that there is some suspicion in the community that an elevated toll road is being pushed.

But, he noted that every type of design, including elevated toll lanes, at ground level and no build, is represented in the list of options.

The task force’s purpose is to gather public input, and consider the range of choices, said David Goldstein, Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney.

“If it’s not going to be elevated toll road, what do ya’ll want?” he said.

As an aid in the decision-making, task force members received individual estimates on construction costs, right–of-way purchases and maintenance costs. They also received guidance on other issues, including environmental impacts, wait times at traffic signals, and numbers of businesses that could be relocated.

Still, members wanted more.

For instance, questions were raised about who would collect tolls, and for how long, if an elevated option was selected.

“That can be part of the recommendations,” Zimmer said.

Concerns also were raised about whether any alternatives would improve the level of service along the corridor.

The answer appeared to be that not much would change, based on the growth anticipated in Pasco. Roads and intersections that are ranked now at F, for failed, could still have failing grades.

“F does not solve the problem,” said Rich Dutter, who is one of three at-large citizens on the task force.

For information on the task force and its work, visit Vision54-56.com.

Published September 6, 2017

Task forces will tackle Pasco congestion issues

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There is trouble on State Road 54 and State Road 56.

Everyone can see the snarled traffic and congestion on a daily basis, and it is clear that it will only get worse with time.

“We’re obviously in a growing community in Tampa Bay,” said Jim Edwards, transportation manager for Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. “The dirt is turning in a lot of areas. We all see that.”

Unprecedented growth along this corridor is turning pastures and open fields into brick-and-mortar shops, offices, business parks and houses.

Congestion near State Road 54 and U.S. 41 helps to illustrate the problem of an increasing number of cars using the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, as new businesses and subdivisions pop up. Some are predicting major traffic hassles with the opening of Tampa Premium Outlets and other planned developments. (File Photo)
Congestion near State Road 54 and U.S. 41 helps to illustrate the problem of an increasing number of cars using the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, as new businesses and subdivisions pop up. Some are predicting major traffic hassles with the opening of Tampa Premium Outlets and other planned developments.
(File Photo)

More is on the drawing board, or in the minds, of developers who see fiscal opportunities just over the horizon.

On Sept. 24, the MPO kicked off a series of public workshops with two separate volunteer task forces that will serve as advisory boards to the MPO. The focus is on improvements on State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor from U.S. 19 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The recommendations from these groups will be the basis for updating the Mobility 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.

Each task force is assigned to examine the corridor in segments, with the East Task Force studying the roadway east of U.S. 41, and the West Task Force studying the roadway west of U.S. 41.

By February, the goal is to have about a half-dozen recommendations for highway and transit options, or a combination of both, to present to the MPO. Options that will be scrutinized include express lanes for buses and general traffic, light rail, bus rapid transit, toll roads and elevated lanes.

The MPO board then can choose a more in-depth study of the selected alternatives before adopting one that would be vetted at a public hearing.

If that wins final approval, Pasco County officials and the Florida Department of Transportation would add the project to the county’s long-range transportation vision and seek funding over the next 20 years.

“We want to give it force. We want to give it importance,” said Edwards. “It’s an opportunity to do something, and it’s also a costly issue.”

Consultants with Tindale Oliver will help guide the task forces.

The initial meeting outlined duties and expectations of task force members, and overviews of past studies done on State Road 54 and State Road 56. Members selected Sandy Graves of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce as the group’s chairwoman. Former Zephyrhills Mayor Cliff McDuffie is vice-chairman.

Graves hopes attention will be given to fixing the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

“Historically, this has always been a traffic nightmare,” she said. “This is a 2040 (plan), but they’ve got to do something in 2016. So, I’m hoping something will come out of this to fix that.”

That intersection is one of seven already identified by MPO as “hot spots,” but not so much for congestion. The others are Little Road, Gunn Highway, Suncoast Parkway, Collier Parkway, Interstate 75 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

“The main issue today is not necessarily through traffic, but turns,” said Ali Atefi, an MPO transportation planner.

The next meeting for the East Task Force is Dec. 3. The West Task Force kicked off its workshops on Sept. 29, after publication deadline for The Laker/Lutz News. It will meet again on Dec. 1.

According to MPO data, population growth and new jobs will be driving forces in the county’s future transportation needs.

The county’s population from 2010 to 2040 is projected to double from more than 450,000 residents to more than 905,000 residents. Jobs will triple from more than 125,000 to nearly 375,000 by 2040, the study found.

Development along the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor will account for about 30 percent of the county’s total increase in residents, and about 31 percent of its jobs.

Empty-nesters and the millennial generation are among those who will populate the county over the next 20 years.

Despite the age gap of these groups, they both want many of the same amenities such as shops, restaurants and safe, walkable communities, said Matt Armstrong, Pasco’s executive planner for the Long Range Planning Group.

“The patterns of what we think we need…we have to make those choices now,” he said. “We have to figure out what pieces of TOD (transit-oriented development) do we think we can accommodate now so, when the time comes, we’re ready for it. We can’t go back and change patterns of development at that point.”

Published October 7, 2015

Task forces looking for traffic solutions for State Road 54/56

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A private development plan to build an elevated toll road along the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor fell apart more than a year ago. But, the experience left lingering ill feelings because of a lack of public input on the project.

County officials now plan to start discussions again on how to deal with a major traffic headache on a corridor with exploding growth from rooftops to shops, especially from Land O’ Lakes to Wesley Chapel. More growth is anticipated from Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills.

At the same time the county wants to give residents a role in the decision-making.

Motorists navigate the intersection where Wesley Chapel Boulevard meets the State Road 54 and State Road 56 junction. In the background, Tampa Premium Outlets is under construction, nearing the Oct. 29 opening day. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Motorists navigate the intersection where Wesley Chapel Boulevard meets the State Road 54 and State Road 56 junction. In the background, Tampa Premium Outlets is under construction, nearing the Oct. 29 opening day.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

“There was no public engagement, no strong grassroots support,” said James Edwards, the transportation manager for Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We’re going to change that in this particular study.”

Two task forces will discuss options, with each presenting five to six recommendations to the Pasco County Commission.

One group will focus on State Road 54 from U.S. 19, in west Pasco, to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. Another will look at State Road 54/State Road 56, from U.S. 41 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, east of Interstate 75.

In the future, a separate study will consider State Road 56 from Bruce B. Downs to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Committee members are from the MPO’s Citizens Advisory Committee, local chambers of commerce, community leaders, developers or their representatives, and residents from west and east Pasco.

Their work is scheduled for completion within eight months to nine months.

The kickoff meetings, open to the public, will be on Sept. 24 (East Task Force) and on Sept. 29 (West Task Force) at 5:45 p.m., at Rasmussen College at the Land O’ Lakes campus at 18600 Fernview Street.

Two years ago International Infrastructure Partners LLC proposed building a 33-mile elevated toll road from U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey at an estimated cost to the company of $2.2 billion.

The deal collapsed when company representatives later requested public assistance to build the toll road.

Pasco County commissioners recently approved about $144,000 for consulting services for the task forces from Tampa-based, Tindale Oliver. The funds are from grants to the MPO.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore queried Edwards on the role Tindale Oliver would play.

Edwards said consultants and county staff members are there in supporting, not leadership, roles.

“We want the committees to really drive this process,” he said. “We’re there to provide education and some direction.” Representatives of the Florida Department of Transportation are doing their own study and also monitoring the county’s efforts.

“They’re interested in having some documents to come out of this, giving them some guidance,” Edwards said.

Whatever plan emerges will be done in phases over several years, he added. “Most (work) will be done with federal monies.”

Published August 19, 2015