The Laker/Lutz News

Ali Atefi

Efforts resurface in quest to widen Old Pasco Road

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The Long Range Transportation Plan now includes a project to widen a 7-mile stretch of Old Pasco Road, from State Road 52 to County Road 54, which is also known as Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The widening had been included in the long-range plan as far back as 2014, but was subsequently dropped.

Now, it’s back in.

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board unanimously approved adding the project to its Long Range Transportation Plan, during the MPO’s Jan. 17 meeting. The long-range plan includes projects within a 20-year time frame from 2020 to 2040.

 

Efforts have resurfaced in a quest to get two-lane Old Pasco Road widened to four lanes. No funding for the project has been identified yet. (File)

Ali Atefi, transportation engineer for Pasco’s MPO, explained the thinking behind the potential widening of two-lane Old Pasco Road, to four lanes.

“The benefit is to provide additional capacity for people — for safety mainly and also time-saving,” Atefi said.

The road now primarily serves motorists heading to their homes, or to Cypress Creek Middle High School.

But, future growth on Old Pasco Road includes the construction of a separate school for Cypress Creek Middle School students, a new Instructional Performing Arts Center and a future business park.

The county recently received a $3 million state grant for a county-initiated project known as the Overpass Business Park. The future business  park is less than a half-mile southeast of the intersection of Overpass and Old Pasco.

The next step toward widening Old Pasco would be to include the project within a five-year window for funding, Atefi said.

Construction for expanding Old Pasco Road was passed by MPO board members on Jan. 17. This came as a response to the road’s current traffic, and future plans to build businesses and another school.

Various sources are being explored for financing the project, Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said.

“There’s grants that have to do with road construction,” he explained. “We’ll have to look at possibly going to our legislators and FDOT (the Florida Department of Transportation) to see what they can do.”

It’s a challenge, but one worth taking on, the commissioner added – emphasizing that safety is his No. 1 concern.

“There’s increased traffic, including school buses that are going up and down Old Pasco Road,” Moore said.

With this in mind, Moore advocates the addition of sidewalks, bike paths and medians, as part of the road’s improvement.

The commissioner also noted the potential congestion with the county’s plan to build an interchange on Overpass Road.

This separate project will allow motorists to get off of Interstate 75 by way of Overpass Road – intersecting with Old Pasco Road.

The first step toward pursuing the widening project includes the completion of route studies to analyze potential environmental impacts and road alignments. Once schematics are underway, the MPO will determine how much land is needed for the expansion, Atefi said.

It is too early in the process to tell what impacts construction will have on traffic, he added. However, as the project develops, a traffic maintenance plan will be implemented to address any detours.

Published February 13, 2019

Wesley Chapel road study looks for traffic solutions

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Pasco County is moving forward with efforts to find consensus on easing traffic congestion in Wesley Chapel and building road connections between Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

About 100 people attended a public meeting to discuss the draft of the Wesley Chapel Road Connection Study.
(Kathy Steele)

Consensus appears elusive, however, on the proposed linkage between Mansfield Boulevard, in Pasco County and Kinnan Street in Hillsborough County.

Pasco residents don’t want more traffic whizzing down a boulevard that already is gridlocked at peak hours.

But Hillsborough residents want a more direct route to shops, restaurants, churches and jobs just across the county line.

About 100 people attended a public meeting on May 22 at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus to discuss a 450-page draft of the Wesley Chapel Road Connection Study.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore and consultants with AECOM presented an executive summary of the study’s findings.

The study looks at the pros and cons of four alternatives for road connections, without making a recommendation. A no-build option also is included.

“We don’t have any bias in this study,” said Ali Atefi, a transportation engineer with the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We looked at it objectively.”

The choices are no-build; linking Mansfield Boulevard with Kinnan Street; linking Mansfield and Kinnan, as well as extending Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Hillsborough County; and the final option calls for linking Mansfield and Kinnan, extending Meadow Pointe Boulevard and extending Wyndfields, also to Hillsborough County.

Moore said he favors the Meadow Pointe extension, which would link to a future road in K-Bar Ranch.

A count of residents’ preferences from a 2017 public meeting showed that road project had strong support.

“I’ve got to be concerned about my residents here in Pasco County,” Moore said.

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, who attended the May 22 meeting, said all three connections are necessary. His constituents in New Tampa especially want Mansfield and Kinnan connected.

“I understand it’s not a black and white issue,” Viera said. “It’s gray. But, that is a real potential game changer. Hillsborough County is a stakeholder in this.”

Hillsborough County commissioners in 2017 approved $250,000 toward linking the two roads.

There could be one point of agreement on Mansfield and Kinnan, which currently dead-end at the county line — roughly 30 feet to 40 feet apart.

A gate could be installed that would provide access to emergency vehicles only. The cost would be about $7,000 for each county.

But, the Mansfield and Kinnan connection remains a hard sell for many Pasco residents.

“Adding traffic is what I’m worried about now,” said Ray Kobasko.

The Meadow Pointe extension makes more sense, he said. “It’s been planned all along, All the people who bought over there were told that,” he said.

Mike Hanna also opposes a Mansfield-Kinnan link.

“Connections have to be made but not all three of these,” he said. “A lot of people drive Mansfield every day and have accidents now. I’d not be in favor of more traffic coming up there.”

Residents can comment on the study through June 15. A final study will be released in August or September.

A citizens’ survey also is planned in coming months, giving residents a chance to weigh in on potential projects. The MPO is scheduled to make its recommendation in October.

Pasco County commissioners will have the final say on which, if any, of the alternatives are selected for construction.

Published June 6, 2018

 

 

 

Frontage roads in Pasco?

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A citizen’s task force looking for traffic remedies for congested intersections of State Road 54 and State Road 56 has put together a mix of options, including a bypass consisting of parallel frontage roads.

The recommendations are focused primarily on two intersections on State Road 54 at Little Road, and at U.S. 41.

A bypass with a network of parallel frontage roads is one option selected by a task force to improve traffic flow at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

However, the 17-member volunteer task force also looked more broadly at major intersections along the entire corridor from U.S. 19 on the west to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east.

The parallel frontage roads are part of a proposal put forth by Jacksonville engineer Greg Parsons. It was a privately presented option at a task force meeting, and not part of the task force’s initial list of 11 highway and transit alternatives and a no-build option.

Task force members whittled down the list at a meeting on Nov. 30 in Land O’ Lakes. During the year, the task force had three public meetings, and a workshop.

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization will meet Jan. 11 to consider the recommendations.

“The MPO will have to look at these and give the final say,” said Ali Atefi, transportation engineer with the MPO.

Once the MPO’s board determines a course of action, additional study on a road design will move forward in 2018. The focus will be only on the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection.

The Florida Department of Transportation has money for additional study on that intersection, but no funding is available for the Little Road intersection, Atefi said.

Other task force recommendations included:

  • Elevated express lanes at major intersections, with express lanes at-grade elsewhere, and bus service in the express lanes.
  • No-build

At the U.S. 41 intersection, the task force also recommended an elevated lane combined with dedicated lanes for bus or rail and a continuous flow intersection.

The continuous flow intersection relies on turn lanes to keep traffic flowing.

Also, for major intersections along the entire corridor, the task force recommended elevated express lanes, with at-grade express lanes elsewhere, as well as dedicated bus or rail lanes and continuous flow.

These recommendations are intended to provide a permanent fix for traffic jams. But, in the interim, the state transportation department is preparing a temporary fix for U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The intersection is one of the busiest in Pasco County, with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

More than $752,000 is budgeted in 2018 for design work on a project to lengthen some turn lanes at the intersection for a better traffic flow. Construction is expected in 2019.

The state transportation department also has budgeted about $32 million to purchase right-of-way for whichever alternative project is selected for the major re-do of the intersection.

The task force could be asked to meet again in 2018 for additional discussions.

Published December 27, 2017

Seeking input on road connections

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Pasco County will host an open house to find out if area residents in Wesley Chapel want to open up roads between Pasco and Hillsborough County.

The public is invited to Pasco-Hernando State College on April 18 to make comments and get answers on three potential road projects from members of the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The Wesley Chapel Roadways Connections Study wants to hear from the public regarding possible connections between:

  • Kinnan Street and Mansfield Boulevard
  • Meadow Pointe Boulevard to K-Bar Ranch Boulevard
  • Wyndfields Boulevard into K-Bar Ranch

“We are unbiased. We want to hear from residents, looking at the negatives and positives,” said Ali Atefi, transportation engineer for the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We’re getting information from both sides, connecting or not connecting,” he said.

A year-long study will look at connecting roadways between Pasco and Hillsborough counties in the Wesley Chapel area of southern Pasco. This barricade separates Kinnan Street in New Tampa’s K-Bar Ranch and Mansfield Boulevard in Pasco County’s Meadow Pointe subdivision.
(File)

A second meeting would be scheduled in the future to review feedback from the public.

An online survey also is being considered to gather additional views on whether to take on these projects, Atefi said.

The study could take up to a year to complete, he added.

Any decisions on moving forward on road projects would be made by the Pasco County Commission.

Currently, Mansfield Boulevard in the Meadow Pointe subdivision dead-ends at the Pasco County line. A barricade separates the boulevard from Kinnan Street, which dead-ends inside Tampa’s K-Bar Ranch in Hillsborough.

In 2016, Mike Moore, then a Pasco County commissioner, and Lisa Montelione, former Tampa city council member, met to discuss connecting the two roadways.

Moore is now chairman of the Pasco County Commission; Montelione is no longer on the city council.

The matter has been batted around for years between Pasco, Tampa officials, and developers of K-Bar, with no resolution.

Some Meadow Pointe residents previously expressed concerns to county officials about the prospect of increased area traffic, if the connection were made.

The subdivision is off State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, near The Shops at Wiregrass.

Mansfield winds past Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. There also is an elementary school, a middle school and a high school on the boulevard.

Other issues center around costs, and who would pay for such items as traffic calming devices and traffic signals.

Negotiations on other improvements to street grids in the area also fell short — including engineering better circulation via Beardsley Drive and Meadow Pointe Boulevard.

Pasco recently began repaving and re-striping Beardsley from Mansfield east to Meadow Pointe. The project is expected to take 60 days.

For information, visit the county’s website at PascoCountyFl.net.

What: Wesley Chapel Roadways Connections Study meeting
Where: Pasco-Hernando State College, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel
When: April 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Published April 12, 2017

Task force on traffic issues starts up again

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A 17-member volunteer task force will pick up where two previous task forces left off — drilling down into the details of tackling traffic issues along State Road 54/State Road 56.

Much of the discussion is expected to center on traffic issues at State Road 54 and Little Road, and at State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Little Road is seen as more typical of congested intersections in the county.

The intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 is the county’s busiest with more than 100,000 vehicles a day. It will be a focus of a task force seeking solutions to ease congestion and improve safety along the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor.
(File)

The U.S. 41 intersection, however, stands out because more than 100,000 vehicles pass through daily.

“It’s the most congested one in the whole county that we have,” said Ali Atefi, transportation engineer with Pasco County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

This is the second of a three-part study to find traffic solutions to ease congestion, improve safety and increase mobility along a corridor that has been a magnet for new residential and commercial development.

The entire study area includes the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east and U.S. 19 on the west.

Three meetings will be held in 2017, with the first on April 20 at Rasmussen College. Additional meetings will be scheduled in 2018 to fully complete the study’s second phase.

As part of these efforts, the Florida Department of Transportation is expected to fund a detailed analysis and evaluation of the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection, likely in 2018.

It is the only segment with funding, but Atefi said additional money is being sought for other road segments, including Little Road.

Many members of this task force participated in the West Task Force and East Task Force that kicked off meetings in late 2015. They met separately to consider different segments of the roadway.

In April 2016, the task forces made almost identical recommendations after considering 19 alternatives.

At the April 20 meeting, Atefi said, “We’ll give them feedback on where we are now. And, we want to reconcile all of the alternatives and have one list moving forward.”

Initial solutions included redesigning roads at ground level, building flyovers, using frontage roads and by-passes, and a no-build option.

Three or four alternatives will be chosen from a recommended list of six major highway and transit alternatives, five complementary alternatives, and a no-build option.

Representatives from Pasco County Planning and Development, the county’s MPO, FDOT, and consultants from AECOM will be on hand to take comments and answer questions.

What: Vision 54/56 Phase 2 Task Force meeting
Where: Rasmussen College, 18600 Fernview St., Land O’ Lakes
When: April 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free, open to the public

Published April 12, 2017

Ideas clash for solving traffic woes

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A proposal for a flyover at State Road 54 and U.S. 41 got a big thumb’s down at a recent transportation task force meeting aimed at finding solutions for reducing congestion on one of Pasco County’s busiest east/west corridors.

In fact, the idea of a flyover anywhere along State Road 54 and State Road 56 between U.S. 19 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard met stiff resistance.

About 50 people, including members of two separate task forces, residents and Pasco County officials, met Feb. 2 at Rasmussen College to discuss options.

A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County. (File Photo)
A heavy volume of cars and trucks makes State Road 54 and U.S. 41 one of the busiest intersections in Pasco County.
(File Photo)

Task force members pressed county officials to consider using frontage roads to ease congested intersections and to preserve access to local businesses and shops.

The task force also approved a motion to ask county planners to determine the feasibility of the frontage road option.

“Our solution is at grade, which is what the public wants,” said Tom Ryan, a task force member and economic development manager at the Pasco Economic Development Council. “It (flyover) infringes on their quality of life. There is no way around it. It will affect quality of life.”

Ryan was joined by task force member Robb Sercu who also tossed out ideas for at-grade alternatives rather than flyovers.

The meeting was the first joint session of East and West task forces, which began meeting separately in September. Each was appointed as an advisory board to the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Their task is to recommend up to five alternatives that the MPO can consider for future transportation projects over the next 20 years. One option is not to build anything.

The West Task Force is studying State Road 54 from west of U.S. 41, and the East Task Force, from east of U.S. 41.

However, discussion at the joint meeting quickly focused on the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 as a priority that likely will be the first road project to need funding.

“That is the most congested location at this time,” said Ali Atefi, a transportation engineer with MPO.

The Florida Department of Transportation held a public hearing in January to get input on two alternatives for elevated lanes over U.S. 41. Many who attended said they came away believing they would pay tolls.

“That’s what got a lot of people upset in our area,” said task force member Fred Knauer. “If I go to Lowe’s, I have to pay a toll?”

Atefi said tolls could be a source to pay for the roads, but that hasn’t been decided yet.

County officials also noted that even with elevated lanes, there would be at-grade through lanes at the intersection.

Some of those attending the meeting want tolls to be an option, to help reduce congestion.

“Toll roads do have a place,” said task force member Marilyn DeChant. “They take drivers off grade and put them up (on express lanes). They do have a place to be considered.”

But, task force member Susie Hoeller said toll roads could hurt elderly residents on fixed incomes and local businesses that do deliveries.

“People in government, they don’t look at the real impact on people’s lives,” she said. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

Whatever option that gains approval should be one that is feasible and reasonable, said Ryan.

And, any option that involves construction will cause disruptions including the purchase of right-of-way, he said.

“We shouldn’t hide away from discussing eminent domain. These are going to come up,” he said. “There’s a business or two that might have to move.”

Keystone Community Church, at 21010 State Road 54, also could be in the path of future road construction.

“We’re in a growth mode now,” said Wayne Hawes, chairman of the church’s board of directors. “Are we going to waste our money if we expand our facilities?”

Even if funds were available now, Atefi said construction could be between seven and eight years away.

Funding more likely won’t be available until after 2020.

Some people at the meeting expressed frustrations and skepticism about the planning process.

Dave Miller said the county’s long-range land use plan is too focused on increasing density.

“This is social engineering,” said Miller who lives in west Pasco, off Little Road and State Road 54.

“They are trying to force people into high rises on transit lanes. You need to throw this back at them (Pasco County and the state). This is not workable,” Miller said.

Others seemed skeptical that their efforts on the task force would be taken seriously.

“Ultimately it’s going to be what they want it to be,” said task force member Christie Zimmer. “I’m praying it’s not that, and we won’t get something stuffed down our throats.”

Her remarks drew some applause.

Task force members will complete surveys in the next weeks to identify up to five construction alternatives, plus a no-build option.

The West Task Force will vote on alternatives at its final meeting on March 28. The East Task Force will do the same at its meeting on March 31. Both of those meetings will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Rasmussen College.

The planning organization will do additional study on the top selections.

What: Town Hall meeting with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, and county staff members
When: Feb. 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road, Lutz

Published February 10, 2016

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