The Laker/Lutz News

Jensen Hackett

Proposed transportation plan would accelerate some Pasco projects

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It’s a tentative list — but if it gains approval and subsequently secures funding, numerous transportation improvements affecting local motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists could occur faster than previously proposed.

The new work program presented during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting “represents an over $40 million increase from what we are currently enjoying,” Carl Mikyska, executive director, told members of the MPO board during its Oct. 14 meeting.

Public comment will be accepted online regarding the tentative work plan, from Oct. 25 through Oct. 29, and at a public open house will be conducted by the District Seven office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Oct. 28.

All public comment, regardless of how it is provided, must be submitted by Nov. 12. (For more details, visit FDOT.gov/wpph/district7.)

Southbound traffic on Interstate 75 passes under the State Road 56 overpass. A proposed project in the State Department of Transportation’s five-year tentative work program calls for improving the traffic flow for southbound motorists, heading to I-75 and I-275, from State Road 56. (File)

Jensen Hackett, of the FDOT’s District Seven office outlined some of the proposed changes to the tentative work program, in an update to the MPO board. The board is made up of the Pasco County Commission and elected officials from the county’s largest municipalities.

One project, now included for construction in fiscal year 2027, is the widening of State Road 52, from Ehren Cutoff to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, Hackett said.

“This is the final project as part of the (State Road) 52 widening, across the northern part of Pasco County,” he said, noting the project had been identified as the Pasco MPO’s No. 1 priority.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey reacted: “Thank you. I’m happy to see the rest of (State Road) 52 in the work plan.”

Another proposed change involves an effort to improve traffic flow heading south at Interstate 75/Interstate 275, in an area between State Road 56 and County Line Road.

It would be similar to the collector/distributor system that already exists for northbound motorists on I-75 and I-275 that get off the long exit ramp at State Road 56, Hackett said.

“This will be almost identical in the southern direction, to guide you from State Road 56 to southbound 75 or southbound 275 —  taking away a lot of those weaving conflicts that occur, heading in that southbound direction.

“This construction is being added to fiscal year ’27,” Hackett said.

Other projects that have been added, or moved up on the proposed work program, include:

Bike and pedestrian improvements

  • Overpass project for the Suncoast Trail, at State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway. This pedestrian overpass project has been added to the construction list for fiscal year 2023. It is being paid for through an agreement with Pasco County.
  • Overpass project for the Suncoast Trail, at State Road 52 and the Suncoast Trail. This pedestrian overpass has been added to the construction list for fiscal year 2023. It, too, is being paid for through an agreement with Pasco County.

Safe route to school improvements

  • Ballantrae Boulevard, from north of Straton Place to Tower Road. This is a sidewalk project near Bexley Elementary School. Construction of this project has been added to the list for fiscal year 2026.
  • Fort King Road, from Hester Road to north of Coleman Avenue. This is a sidewalk project near Pasco Elementary School. Its construction has been added to the list for fiscal year 2026.
  • Leonard Road, from U.S 41 (State Road 45/Land O’ Lakes Boulevard) to Henley Road. Design has been added to fiscal year 2025; construction, to fiscal year 2027.

Resurfacing projects

  • State Road 39, from north of Central Avenue to U.S. 301 (Gall Boulevard). Design has been added to fiscal year 2023; construction added to fiscal year 2025.
  • State Road 54, from west of Ray Drive to U.S. 301 (Gall Boulevard). Design added to fiscal year 2023; construction added to fiscal year 2025.
  • State Road 54, from Gunn Highway to east of Crossing Boulevard. Design has been added to fiscal year 2023; construction to fiscal year 2025.
  • State Road 54, from Marathon Road to Gunn Highway. Design has been added to fiscal year 2023; construction to fiscal year 2025.
  • State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard), from State Road 56 to State Road 54. Design has been added for fiscal year 2024; construction, to fiscal year 2026.
  • State Road 54, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to Curley Road. Design has been added in fiscal year 2024; construction to fiscal year 2026.

Aviation improvements
A number of improvements at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport also have been added or moved up on the list. They are:

  • Zephyrhills Municipal Airport Master Plan Update, added to fiscal year 2024, includes partial local funding
  • Design and construct box hangars, added to fiscal year 2024, includes partial local funding
  • Sixth Avenue realignment around the airport grounds, added to fiscal year 2026; includes partial local funding
  • Rehab Runway 1/19, design added to fiscal year 2023, includes partial local funding
  • Rehab Runway 1/19, construction added to fiscal year 2024, includes partial local funding

The proposed changes — and many other projects that have been previously included in the plan — still must gain funding through the Florida Legislature and secure the governor’s signature before they become operational.

The current work program ends on June 30 each year, with the new work program beginning on the first year of the five-year program, on July 1. New projects are then added into a new fifth year, based on transportation goals.

Want to weigh in?
The Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven office is accepting public comment on its tentative work program for the upcoming five fiscal years, 2022-2023 through 2026-2027.
The public can participate online, from Oct. 25 through Oct. 29. To do so, go to FDOT.gov/wpph/district7.
The public open house will be on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the District Seven office, 11201 N. McKinley Drive, in Tampa.
All public comments, regardless how they are submitted, are due by Nov. 12.

Published October 20, 2021

Pasco board considers road priorities

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will be identifying its list of priority projects at its June 10 meeting.

The list includes projects that are included on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) from 2022 to 2027, which includes projects that are funded and those not yet funded.

The list also includes projects that are not part of the TIP, but are considered to be priorities by the MPO, which is responsible for updating the priority list, which in turns provides guidance to the Florida Department of Transportation, in developing its developing its tentative work program.

During a workshop session, MPO Executive Director Carl Mikyska explained: “The first year of the TIP is actually part of the proposed budget. That means the Legislature has actually adopted the list of projects.

“At this point, the budget has been passed by the Legislature. I do not believe it has been signed by the governor.

“While years two through five are considered for planning purposes, you can consider them to be fairly solid planning. A project in year two is likely to then advance next year into the first year and be part of the proposed budget. DOT has to work on a cash flow basis. If their cash flow rises or falls, due to fluctuations in the economy, you may see minor changes to it.

“DOT does not put projects in year two, year three, etc., that they do not intend to advance forward,” he said.

“Projects in the TIP include Florida DOT projects, as well as our local projects, and this is a federal requirement.

“The projects cover the whole gamut from safety, all of the way down to capacity improvements,” Mikyska said.

“Those projects are based on our priorities here at the MPO, as well as the ones for the region,” he said.

Mikyska identified some of the significant projects that are included in the five-year plan.

Within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, these include:

Significant projects

  • State Road 52, from east of U.S. 41 to Ehren Cutoff

“Construction is scheduled in 2026. Right of way is in there from Ehren Cutoff to Bellamy Brothers Road, and while we do note that construction is not funded, I do note for our board that the DOT does not purchase right of way for projects they have no intention of building.

“I would anticipate that that would appear as a construction project in one of future TIPs.

  • State Road 52, at North 21st Street, from Church Avenue to Suwannee, in Dade City

A roundabout is scheduled for construction in 2026.

  • State Road 52, at College Avenue/Pompanic

A roundabout is scheduled for design/build in 2023.

Resurfacing projects

  • State Road 52 from Meridian Avenue, from west of Storch Lane to U.S. 98/U.S. 301, in 2022
  • U.S. 301 to Hillsborough County line, south of State Road 39, in 2023
  • State Road 54, from U.S. 41 to Knights Road, in 2023.
  • U.S. 41, from the Hillsborough County line to Bell Lake Road, in 2023

Lighting projects

  • U.S. 301, from Tucker Road to Pretty Pond Road, in 2024
  • State Road 56, Willow Oak Drive to The Shops at Wiregrass mall entrance, 2023
  • State Road 56, at The Shops at Wiregrass entrance to Meadow Pointe Boulevard, 2023

Pedestrian and bicycle projects

  • State Road 54, from west of Mitchell Place Plaza entrance to Marathon Drive — a complete streets project, in 2023
  • School Road, from Community Center to U.S. 41 — a multi-use path, 2026
  • Orange Belt, in 2025

Those were just some of the highlights, Mikyska said, noting the projects range from aviation to planning.

MPO board members raised some questions about projects that are part of the list, but not necessarily in the order they’d like to see them in.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said she’s disappointed that the roundabout planned in Dade City is not expected to be constructed until 2026.

“We were told, not too long ago, that we were looking at a 2024 date.

“I just found out from staff yesterday that it was moved from 2024 to 2026 for construction,” Hernandez said.

The planned roundabout in St. Leo/San Antonio is equally needed, Hernandez said; she just wishes the one in her community had not been pushed back.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked if it would make sense to do the Meridian roundabout sooner than the one at College Avenue and Pompanic, which is slated for 2023.

However, a staff member of the DOT told the MPO that the shift to 2026 was related to design and right of way issues.

Starkey offered an optimistic thought: “When the Clinton Avenue extension opens, maybe we’ll see a drop in the traffic there. So, maybe that will help a little bit.”

Starkey also asked: “Did you show the 54/41 (State Road 54/U.S. 41) fix anywhere on here?”

Jensen Hackett, of FDOT, told Starkey the project is partially funded for right of way through 2025.

It is not yet clear how FDOT will proceed at that intersection, he added.

“I believe that they’re waiting for a couple of the traffic data to come in,” he said.

Starkey said that intersection needs to be addressed.

“That’s of great interest to everybody in the county,” she said.

Starkey added: “Of course, we think that when Ridge Road opens up, that will eliminate some of the suffering down there.”

Starkey also asked about the status of the design for an overpass that is planned at State Road 54 and the Suncoast Parkway.

Tina Russo, of the MPO’s staff, told Starkey: “We’re finishing up the preliminary design.”

In addition to the TIP, there’s also a long list of priority projects that do not yet have an identified source of funding.

Published May 19, 2021

New Suncoast Parkway projects are being planned

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Projects aimed at improving traffic flow on the Suncoast Parkway are included in the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s tentative work program.

Those projects call for adding lanes at the parkway’s intersection with State Road 54, and for connecting the parkway with Ridge Road and with Tower Road.

Carol Scott, of the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, highlighted those proposed projects at the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board meeting on Oct. 10, at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

The Suncoast Parkway intersecting with State Road 54, as seen here, may see additional lanes to help ease traffic flow. There also are plans to intersect Ridge Road and Tower Road with the Suncoast Parkway. (Brian Fernandes)

She talked about the tentative work program for fiscal years 2021 to 2025.

“We’re going to make interchange improvements to the Suncoast Parkway and the (State Road) 54 interchange,” Scott said, of the first project.

The design phase would be funded for 2021, while construction would be funded for 2022.

The proposed project would add an extra deceleration lane on the Suncoast Parkway for motorists heading northbound to State Road 54.

It also would include additional right turn and left turn lanes when exiting onto State Road 54.

Scott also said that the current toll booth on the Suncoast Parkway eventually would be replaced with an electric one.

However, Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Kathryn Starkey, who sit on the MPO board, addressed the issue of congestion on State Road 54.

Motorists have expressed concerns about vehicles heading eastbound on State Road 54 stacking up before merging onto the Suncoast Parkway interchange, Moore said.

Starkey went on to state that, “We need longer turn lanes. Going on (State Road) 54 heading east in the morning, is a three- or four-light cycle wait.”

But, Starkey expressed optimism that the future Ridge Road extension, intersecting with the Suncoast Parkway, would help alleviate State Road 54 congestion.

Scott noted that there are plans to lengthen the acceleration lane turning off the state road onto the Suncoast Parkway – heading southbound.

Scott also said: “I believe there [is] also some developer-funded project in that area on (State Road) 54, to add some turn lanes in the future.”

The second project addresses Ridge Road intersecting with the Suncoast Parkway.

The Florida Turnpike Enterprise is working in conjunction with Pasco County on this initiative.

“We’re funding the interchange and we’re providing some technical assistance to the county,” Scott said.

That project is in the design phase and construction may begin in early 2020.

As of Oct. 25, a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not been granted. This would allow the extension of Ridge Road from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway.

Justin Hannah is a project manager for AECOM, which works with the county’s MPO.

The consulting firm had done a study to look at the Suncoast Parkway interchange projects, forecasting their impacts up to 2045.

“As a part of the study, we ended up analyzing potential interchanges,” the project manager told the board.

One of those is the connection of Tower Road, heading west to cross the Suncoast Parkway.

A Tower Road interchange would see an estimated 32% traffic diversion from the State Road 54 interchange, Hannah said.

Three alternatives are being considered for the Tower Road interchange. They are:

  • A tight diamond interchange: This would have closely-spaced and signalized intersections where the ramps would meet with the crossing road. The estimated cost would be $108.5 million.
  • A single point urban interchange: A signalized light would be placed at the center of the intersection of Suncoast Parkway and Tower Road, guiding traffic on and off ramps. The estimated cost would be $27.5 million. It also would have an approximately 3,700-foot space from the State Road 54 ramps to the south.
  • A partial clover leaf interchange: The Suncoast Parkway’s left-turn and right-turn ramps would merge with Tower Road heading upward in opposite directions, respectively. The ramps on either side, would form a loop on the north end of Tower Road before connecting again with the road. This would resemble an “M” shape. The estimated cost would be over $59 million. However, it would have a longer distance from the State Road 54 ramps.

Hannah said the great distance would be beneficial.

“The more distance and the more space we can get between the interchanges, the better the operations are, and the safer it is,” he pointed out.

Currently, the most preferred alternative is the partial clover leaf interchange, Hannah said.

There is one connection with the parkway that doesn’t seem to need long-term improvements, Hannah said.

“When we examined the State Road 52 interchange, the operations here were operating pretty well. We expect the existing interchange to handle future traffic demand through the year 2045,” Hannah said.

In addition to improvements to help motorists, Commissioner Starkey called for improvements to help bicyclists and pedestrians.

“There is no way for the cyclists to get from one side of the Suncoast (Parkway) to the other,” she said. “We just have to find a solution for that.”

Starkey suggested a flyover path where pedestrians and bicyclists would not need to contend with traffic.

Jensen Hackett of the Florida Department of Transportation briefly took to the podium, noting that the transportation department would look into any potential routes.

The Penny for Pasco program would provide funding toward a pedestrian-bicycle flyover at the Suncoast Parkway.

Published October 30, 2019