The Laker/Lutz News

Orange Belt

Roads, beautification among legislative priorities

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Funds for the Interstate 75/Overpass Road project and the Land O’ Lakes Boulevard Beautification Plan are among priority requests for the 2018 legislative session.

Pasco County commissioners agreed to a wish list for the upcoming session at their Aug. 29 meeting in Dade City.

The $15 million sought for I-75 and a new interchange at Overpass Road made it into the state’s 2017 budget. But, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the money.

County commissioners are hoping for a better outcome the second time around.

The approximately 9-mile project would widen, extend and re-align Overpass Road, and build a new I-75 interchange. It is a high-priority transportation project for the county in an area of northeast Pasco County that is rapidly developing, residentially and commercially.

“Obviously, we want to keep moving forward with that,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

The $1.5 million that will be sought to beautify Land O’ Lakes Boulevard would pay for “targeted landscaping and place-making projects,” according to the draft version of the county’s state legislative agenda.

The boulevard is the main corridor running through the Land O’ Lakes community. The beautification plan would begin at the county line on North Dale Mabry Highway, cross State Road 54, and then head north to State Road 52 toward Brooksville and Hernando County.

It will be similar to a project along U.S. 19 in west Pasco, with a focus on medians and intersections.

“It’s a great opportunity to work to help revitalize this area and give a real, positive change to residents and businesses there,” Moore said. “It’s needed, and it’s well-deserved for the area.”

Another $2 million will be sought to complete the Gateway Beautification Plan for landscaping and monument signs at the north and south county lines on U.S. 19. Additional beautification also is planned for secondary gateways at major road intersections, including State Road 54, Moog Road, Gunn Highway and Little Road.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey is pushing to add a funding request to aid the county in buying land for the proposed Orange Belt trail, that would run through Land O’ Lakes.

She is asking that the county seek matching funds for this project, with the county pledging an amount to be determined before the legislative session begins.

Starkey said it could be easier to win approval if the county also puts up its money. “We need to get started (on this) before the land is bought up and compromised,” she added.

Pasco County’s legislative delegation will have a public meeting on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon, at Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd. The annual meeting gives the public a chance to discuss projects and bills that they would like to see approved.

Other funding requests from the county in 2018 will include:

  • $1 million for a planning and development study for the U.S. 301/U.S. 98/Clinton Avenue intersection realignment
  • $5 million for an Advanced Traffic Management System for State Road 54 and State Road 56 to adjust traffic signal times and improve traffic flow
  • $500,000 for a navigation center that will aid the homeless population

Trails putting Florida on the map

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Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp wants to get residents moving when it comes to supporting and building a network of trails and greenways.

The first-time county commissioner recently invited trail experts to give residents an overview of current and future projects in Hillsborough and the Tampa Bay region.

Regional trails coursing through Pasco County include the Coast to Coast Trail tying together east and west coasts; and, the Suncoast Trail, with trail heads in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties

Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation, left, received an award given to the foundation by the Florida Bicycle Association. J. Steele Olmstead is the association’s president; Pat Kemp is Hillsborough County Commissioner.
(Kathy Steele)

Nearly 75 people attended the April 4 meeting at the Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library in Tampa. Speakers included Dale Allen, executive director of the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation; Wade Reynolds of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization; and Anthony Matonti of Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, or TBARTA.

“Trails are just exploding,” said Kemp.

But, she came away disappointed when she attended a regional meeting on trials in Venice in February. At least seven counties made presentations.

“Pasco had a great demonstration, good programs,” Kemp said.

Hillsborough didn’t have as much going on, but that wasn’t always the case, she said.  “It seemed like something happened in Hillsborough because they went dormant.”

Kemp hopes that the April 4 meeting will spur efforts to follow through on trail projects in Hillsborough and regionally. An annual summit on trail development in Hillsborough also would keep momentum going, she said.

On April 5, Hillsborough County commissioners asked the county’s staff to prioritize a list of hiking and bicycling trails for future projects, and to make a biannual report on progress.

All across Florida, a trail system is taking shape.

It’s one that largely began with local projects, but now is emerging as a statewide network, Allen said.

The Coast to Coast trail, for instance, includes about 14 individual trails built by local governments. When the trail opens in 2020, it will connect Volusia County in the east with Pinellas County in the west. A portion of the 250-mile trail will cut through Pasco.

Kathryn Starkey is a Pasco County Commissioner.
(File)

People can ride bicycles from the Kennedy Space Center to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Allen said.

“The economic impact of this is tremendous,” he said.

Florida’s trail system benefits from a number of factors, including year-round warm weather. But, Allen said the state has other assets as well, including its state parks.

Florida is the only state in the nation to win the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence three times for the maintenance of its parks.

The state also has thousands of miles of abandoned rights-of-way along railroad lines. Many trail systems around the country are being built on those old routes, including the Coeur d’Alene Trail in Idaho along 71 miles of the Union Pacific rail line, and the High Line in New York City on an abandoned, elevated rail road trestle.

Allen said the High Line is the second biggest tourist attraction in New York City.

In Pasco, a trail is proposed to follow the Orange Belt rail line. Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey often mentions the trail as an economic boon to Land O’ Lakes.

Dade City often is cited as a future hub for bicyclists traveling the trail network.

The Coast to Coast trail could benefit Dade City’s efforts, said Allen, in response to a question posed after his presentation. But, he added, “They’ve got to do it right. Putting lanes for bicycles along roadways won’t do it.”

The trails must be safe, scenic and lead to destinations people want to visit, Allen said.

In Florida, safety is a critical issue. The state consistently over the years ranks at or near the worst among states in annual pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.

Data shows that nine out of 10 Floridians own bicycles. But, Allen said one out of 10 owners don’t ride them. “The roads are too dangerous,” he said. “To go to best from worst, we have a lot of work to do.”

Published April 26, 2017