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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization

Efforts continue to reduce perils on Pasco roads

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The number of miles being driven in Pasco County is climbing — and so is the number of transportation-related injuries and deaths.

That’s the essence of a report, “Crash data: The story behind the numbers,” by Tina A. Russo and Johnny Koors, which was delivered to the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board at its Feb. 10 meeting.

Russso is an active transportation planner for the MPO, specializing in pedestrian and bicycle safety, and Koors is a transportation planner for the agency.

Under federal law, the MPO was required to adopt system performance measures for safety by Feb. 27. Local MPOs could adopt their own or use the state’s targets.

The Pasco MPO team developed its targets for calendar year 2022 based on local data provided by the Florida Department of Transportation.

While the aspirational goal is to have zero deaths and serious injuries, the law requires MPOs to establish targets that are data-driven, realistic and achievable, Russo said.

The report must include:

  • The number of fatalities
  • The rate of fatalities per hundred million miles of vehicle travel
  • The number of serious injuries
  • The rate of serious injuries per miles
  • Non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries

The report indicates five-year averages, to provide a more accurate snapshot, Russo said.

“If we picked one year, especially if it was 2020, those numbers are going to be skewed,” she explained. “So, everything we do is that five-year trend, so we can see what’s really happening.”

The number of vehicle miles traveled influences the number of deaths and serious injuries, she noted.

In other words: “If you have more cars — more people driving — you’re going to have a greater number of fatalities and injuries,” Russo said.

“It’s not only about the fatalities. It’s the serious injuries that people incur and live with those injuries for their whole lives,” she said.

Russo showed the MPO board a map containing red dots, to indicate where the fatalities are occurring in the county.

“If you notice something, they’re all over the place. There’s not a specific area — unless you look at (U.S.) 19, that corridor — they’re all over the place.

“If we could find one intersection that was the worst and work on it, we could do that. But it’s a general behavior that’s going on here that’s happening,” Russo said.

She also noted that based on the report’s data, the county is heading in the wrong direction, when it comes to fatalities. In 2020, it had 107 fatalities from vehicle crashes, compared to 99 in 2019 and in 2018.

“We went from 99 to 107. That’s definitely something we don’t want to see,” she said.

There is a bright spot that’s not reflected in the report, she said.

“Our annual fatalities in 2021, the good news, we went down one. And, considering our miles went up, that’s a good sign for us. That we’re trending, at least, in another direction.

“We went from 107 to 106,” she said. But since the report lags behind a year, ending in 2020, that’s not in the report, she said.

Russo also noted: “Our serious injuries in that five-year period, you can see they’re starting to go down a little bit.”

She continued: “From what we’ve learned … our automobiles have become safer to drive. We’ve got airbags. We’re getting a lot of different things that help save us from those injuries.

“Believe it or not, some of those roundabouts will help with this, too. If we’ve got those lower speeds, in roundabouts …

“We all know that intersections can be very deadly. But roundabouts decrease our speed, so there are lower speed impacts,” Russo said.

She also addressed trends involving deaths and serious injuries involving bicyclists and pedestrians.

“There was a definite increase of more pedestrians being killed in 2020,” she said. At the same time, there was a notable increase in people walking during that COVID-19 period.

She also said that cyclists darting across U.S. 19 contributed to the number of deaths in that category.

Steps to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries include:

  • Prioritizing projects, with safety in mind
  • Making safety improvements when resurfacing work is done
  • Improving lighting, especially at intersections
  • Adding sidewalks and multi-use paths

Efforts must be persistent and ongoing, according to Russo.

“Things don’t change overnight. It takes a long time to get those numbers to turn in a different direction,” she said.

Targets adopted for 2022
Number of fatalities: 99.8
Rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles: 2.002
Number of serious injuries: 1,058.6
Rate of serious injuries per 100 million vehicle miles: 21.337
Number of combined pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and serious injuries: 125.2

Pasco County traffic fatalities:
2020: 107
2019: 99
2018: 99
2017: 108
2016: 86

Vehicle Miles Traveled (100 million miles)
2020: 49.6
2019: 55.0
2018: 50.9
2017: 48.4
2016: 48.4

Pasco’s five-year trends:
Average annual fatalities
2016-2020: 99.8
2015-2019: 92.4
2014-2018: 86.8
2013-2017: 78.0
2012-2016: 71.54

Average annual serious injuries
2016-2020: 1,058.6
2015-2019: 1,119.4
2014-2018: 1,133.2
2013-2017: 1,145.6
2012-2016: 1,032.6

Published February 16, 2022

Pasco County to get electric buses?

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In the next few years, Go Pasco — the county’s public transportation system — may begin to go electric.

Kurt Scheible, director of the county’s transit system, briefed the board of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization about the potential for obtaining federal funds to begin rolling electric buses on local roads within a few years.

“Things don’t happen overnight, but we do want to move forward toward something like that because I do think it is just beneficial for both Pasco County and the environment,” Scheible said.

Plus, the buses are quieter and have fewer vibrations.

Because there are less vibrations, Scheible said, “they’re actually a little bit safer.”

He explained why they’re safer: “You fly on a plane and you’re tired and you haven’t done anything — it’s just the vibrations that you’re with. It’s the same type of thing (for bus drivers).”

He told the MPO board that it will likely be about a two-year process to get local and federal funding together to acquire the buses.

“The good news is that we were with PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) when they went out for the electric bus bid. We were part of that, so we’ll be able to use that contract to purchase the buses,” Scheible said.

Once he knows the cost, then the transit authority can get the MPO board’s input and move forward with seeking federal funding for the buses.

His best guess is that Pasco would get eight or nine electric buses and a charging station, with federal funding covering the lion’s share of the cost.

Scheible expects to use the buses along U.S. 19, which is traveled by about one-third of the county’s transit customers.

He estimated the electric buses will cost about $1 million each and the charging station likely will cost about the same amount.

Federal funding will be sought to pay for the buses and the charging station, he said.

The charging station would likely be on the north end of U.S. 19, on U.S. 52, where there’s an existing substation, Scheible said.

He told the Pasco MPO board members to stay tuned because he expects to bring them updates on the issue in coming months.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County that serves the following municipalities in Pasco: Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Dade City.

According to federal and state laws, the Pasco County MPO is responsible for establishing a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process for Pasco County. Key responsibilities are the creation of the 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the five-year Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and the five-year Transportation Improvement program.

The MPO board is made up of representatives of the Pasco County Commission and elected leaders from Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Published January 05, 2022

State Road 54 work expected to resume this month

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Work on a project to widen State Road 54 — from Curley Road to Morris Bridge Road — is expected to resume on Dec. 20, according to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Seven Secretary David Gwynn.

Gwynn recently updated the board of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization regarding the status of three construction projects that were stalled this summer, when the contractor handling the work defaulted.

“It was the end of July when DAB  (Contractors) defaulted, more or less put us on notice that they were not financially able to continue to complete the projects,” Gwynn said.

The FDOT notified the surety, which provides the bond on the project, that is responsible for bringing in a replacement contractor to complete the work.

It typically takes two to four months to bring a replacement contractor on board, Gwynn said.

In addition to the State Road 54 project, work also was stopped on the diverging diamond interchange project at State Road 56 and Interstate 75; and on the State Road 52 project, on State Road 52, from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41, including a portion of U.S. 41.

Work has resumed on the diverging diamond project, with Superior Construction handling the job. That’s the same company that’s building the realignment of State Road 52 in East Pasco.

“They jumped onto the diverging diamond. One thing they just recently did, it wasn’t really required of them in the contract, but for the Christmas holiday season, opened up an additional lane on State Road 56 to try to help with the merchants in the area and be able to provide a little better service during the shopping season,” Gwynn said.

The contractor expects to have the new configuration completed by summer 2022, Gwynn said.

The State Road 52 project is being handled by a company called PCS (previously known as Pepper). The work has begun, but there’s still about two years left on that project, the FDOT officials said.

“The one that’s given us the most challenge has been State Road 54, for a variety of reasons,” he said.

That work will be completed by Cone & Graham, which is the company that is building the county’s Ridge Road project and that built the State Road 56 extension, Gwynn said.

Gwynn also noted there are some traffic issues at the new leg of an intersection at Meadow Pointe Boulevard and State Road 54, which has to do with an equipment issue. He said that is expected to be corrected in coming weeks.

The Pasco MPO — made up of representatives of Pasco County, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Port Richey and New Port Richey — is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County.

Published December 15, 2021

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

Resurfacing work proposed for Suncoast Parkway

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Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise has included a resurfacing project on the Suncoast Parkway, as part of its tentative work program for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Siaosi Fine, of the Turnpike Enterprise, briefed the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board about the sole Pasco County project included in that proposed plan, at the board’s Oct. 14 meeting.

The resurfacing work would be done on the Suncoast Parkway, from just south of the Hillsborough County and Pasco County line to a little bit north of State Road 52, Fine said.

The design funds are included in the tentative five-year work plan in fiscal year 2024 and the construction funds are included in the fiscal year 2025 plan. The total cost would be $23.1 million for work that includes milling and resurfacing, guard rail installation, and signing and pavement marking improvements, he said

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who sits on the Pasco MPO board, inquired about funding for the two pedestrian/bicycle overpasses that are planned at State Road 54 and State Road 52, respectively, to connect to the Suncoast Trail.

Those projects are being funded by Pasco County, while overpasses in Hernando and Citrus counties are being paid for by the Turnpike, the commissioner said.

“It’s not fair,” Starkey said.

“Board members, citizens of Pasco County are paying for the bike/ped overpasses on (State Roads) 54 and 52, and the Turnpike is paying for the overpasses in Hernando County and Citrus County) who have a lot less traffic than us. I don’t understand how that happened,” she said. She added that she’d like to talk to someone at the Turnpike Enterprise about the possibility of it sharing those costs.

Starkey addressed her MPO board colleagues: “Guys, I really think we should elevate our voices on that,” adding that perhaps that can be done when they go to Tallahassee to address concerns.

“Why are other counties getting it paid for, and we have to pay for our own?” she said. “It bothers me.”

In another part of the meeting, Starkey reiterated her concerns about trail design, urging those who are planning trails to use an approach that allows trails to meander away from roads and to place them behind ponds or landscaping, to improve the experience for users and to make it safer.

In some cases, that might increase costs, she said. But it might not.

“There are ways to make the user experience better. You don’t have to buy more right of way, you just have to plan it as a user would like to use it,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick agreed. She said trails should be farther back from roads, not butted up right next to them, to help keep users safe.

MPO Board Chairman Lance Smith, who serves on the Zephyrhills City Council, agreed that more thought needs to be given to trail design.

“I do want to say that I appreciate the commissioners’ input on the trails because I think this trail idea has evolved over the years,” Smith said.

“It used to be —  well — no trails. Then, over the years, as an afterthought, let’s put in a trail. “Now, we’re thinking more on integrating it as part of the actual construction. I think it’s great to have a landscape architect in there and fight as hard as they can to create these nice spaces on the trail.

“It’s great to have a trail, but if there’s not a piece of shade on it, in August, I don’t know how many people will use it,” Smith said.

“And,” Starkey added, “an occasional bench?”

Published October 20, 2021

Improvement aimed to move freight, boost safety

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is planning an improvement in the U.S. 301/U.S. 98 corridor that’s intended to accommodate increased truck traffic and to improve the road’s safety.

Details of the plan were discussed during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization on June 10, and a public hearing is set for June 24 to give interested stakeholders a chance to learn more and comment on the plans.

“This project is along U.S. 301, from south of U.S. 98 to State Road 50, in both Pasco and Hernando counties,” Ashley Henzel, the FDOT project manager, told Pasco MPO board members.

“It’s a distance of approximately 4 miles.

“The existing right of way varies throughout the corridor, with a minimum width of 100 feet. We will need additional right of way to accommodate roadway improvements, as well as flood plain compensation sites and stormwater management facilities,” Henzel said.

“U.S. 301 is a main north-south arterial highway in Pasco and Hernando counties. It connects to a number of regionally significant corridors, including State Road 50 and U.S. 98.

“The purpose of this project is to widen U.S. 301 from a two-lane undivided facility to a multilane divided facility to address existing safety issues and to accommodate future traffic growth.

“This particular segment has a high crash rate, that ranges from two to five times the statewide average for a similar facility,” Henzel added.

She also noted: “U.S. 301 is an important freight route that spans all of the way from Sarasota to Delaware.

“This particular route serves as an alternative route to I-75 (Interstate 75), and has a potential to safely accommodate higher truck volumes.”

The planned improvements include roadway widenings, stormwater management facilities, flood plain compensation sites, as well as various intersection improvements, median modifications and multimodal facilities, she said.

The current existing roadway section is a two-lane road with 4-foot paved shoulders in Pasco County and a two-lane paved road with 6-foot paved shoulders in Hernando County.

For more details, check the project’s website page, attend the June 24 public meeting, or reach out to Henzel.

Public hearing on improvements to U.S. 98/301 corridor
What: Hybrid virtual and in-person public meeting for U.S. 98/U.S. 301 project
When: June 24, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with formal portion of the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Ridge Manor Community Center, 34240 Cortez Blvd., Ridge Manor
Attend Virtually: Via GoTo Meeting. Preregistration is required, on the project website, https://www.fdotd7studies.com/projects/us301-us98-to-sr50/.
Details: The public can view and comment on proposed plans for improvements to a 4-mile stretch of the U.S. 98/U.S. 301 corridor, through portions of Pasco and Hernando counties.
Info: Contact Ashley Henzel, project manager, at or 813-975-6433.

Published June 23, 2021

Pasco MPO board turns up heat on Port Richey

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The Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board delivered the City of Port Richey a clear message earlier this month: Start showing up consistently or get booted from the board.

Complaints about the city’s absence at MPO meetings have been growing louder, and last month, the board asked the organization’s new executive director, Carl Mikyska, to find out if the board had the latitude to change its composition.

The Pasco MPO — which is the lead transportation planning agency for the Pasco region — is made up of the Pasco County Commission and representatives from the cities of Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said he’s been voicing his concerns for years about Port Richey’s lack of attendance at the meetings. If the city isn’t going to be there, Moore has said, the seat should be filled by someone who will.

Port Richey Mayor Scott Tremblay showed up at the MPO board’s June 10 meeting to address the issue.

Pasco MPO board chairman Lance Smith welcomed him, warmly.

“I’m happy that you’re here today. We want the input of Port Richey. I feel like it’s very much needed. I think we’re all in this together,” said Smith, who represents the City of Zephyrhills.

Tremblay said he’s not sure the MPO board’s absenteeism records are accurate regarding Port Richey’s attendance. He said there have been occasions during remote meetings when the city’s vice mayor was virtually present, but wasn’t able to be recognized because his microphone was muted.

Tremblay also said he would appreciate receiving the agenda materials at least 15 days in advance of an MPO meeting, so the entire Port Richey council could have the opportunity to weigh in on issues.

He said he feels uncomfortable voting on substantive issues as just one representative of Port Richey’s five-member council. He also noted that’s not an issue for the Pasco County Commission, because the entire county board sits on the MPO board.

Tremblay also mentioned concerns that voting solo on issues involving the entire city might constitute a violation of the Port Richey city charter.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano then said: “Let me ask the city of New Port Richey, Zephyrhills and Dade City: How is your charter set up where you can actually sit here and make a decision that you think is best for your city? Do they empower you to do that, is something in your charter different than Port Richey, do you know?”

Chairman Smith responded: “I don’t even know that our charter, our particular charter, considers that. At every reorganization, we delegate responsibilities, as a body, to certain individuals to sit on different boards.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told Mariano: “Jack, every board that we sit on, I sit on TBARTA (Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority), Tampa Bay Water — I am the authorized person from my board to make that decision for the board.”

Moore said that’s the way it works all over the county. “It’s nothing new. It’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

David Goldstein, Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney, agreed: “It’s done through delegated authority.”

Moore also told Tremblay that he doesn’t support the mayor’s request to get MPO agenda materials two weeks early.

“For us to make special exceptions because this is the way you want to do it, I’m sorry, that’s not how it’s going to work,” Moore said.

Goldstein also told Tremblay that he wouldn’t be at liberty to pick and choose which items he would vote on. “If you attend this meeting, you do have to vote,” Goldstein said, unless there’s a conflict of interest.

The attorney also noted that any item requiring a financial commitment from Port Richey would have to be taken back to that respective city council to authorize the expenditure.

Board chairman Smith and Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez voiced support for Port Richey’s participation.

Hernandez put it like this: “I do understand the importance and significance of the small cities being part of this board and understanding all of the transportation needs. It is important to have them on here.”

Smith told Tremblay that decisions have been made in Port Richey’s absence that have affected the city.

“So, you need to be here, to have input on it,” Smith said.

He told Tremblay: “I am looking forward to your continued attendance.”

Port Richey mayor offers assurances
The Port Richey mayor assured the MPO board: “We do want to make it clear that we do have an interest in this board. We have an interest in working not only with the county, but with the cities, especially our sister city, New Port Richey, which is right next to us. We do have some overlapping projects.”

Moore, however, expressed skepticism.

“My only fear, and I’m being honest here … is that we end up having this same discussion six months down the road, or a year down the road. People show up for a while and then they don’t show up for months.”

Pasco County Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick also weighed in: “I feel it’s important for all of our municipalities to have a voice on this board, but I do also think that attendance is extremely important.

“Attendance needs to be accounted for.”

Goldstein offered this suggestion: “The MPO board has to go through reapportionment next year, after the decennial census, anyway.

“What I recommend you do is direct staff to start keeping track of attendance between now and the time that you reapportion.

“If you find that it’s (Port Richey’s attendance) a continual problem, when you reapportion next year, you can then look at eliminating that seat, or multiple seats, if you want to,” Goldstein said.

The MPO board members reached a consensus to proceed with that approach.

Published June 23, 2021

Road projects get extra funding

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The Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization has approved changes to the fiscal year 2020-2021 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to include $6,161,504 in additional spending.

The money will be used to support these improvement projects:

  • U.S. 98, from U.S. 301 South to U.S. 301 North
  • U.S. 98/State Road 35/State Road 700, from the Polk County Line/County Road 54 to Old Lakeland Highway
  • U.S. 301, from U.S. 98 to the Hernando County line
Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey appreciates the Florida Department of Transportation’s recent $6.1 million in funding for additional work in Pasco County, but she thinks the money would be better spent toward completing the widening of State Road 52. (File)

The Florida Department of Transportation, which provided the additional funding, said the projects are designed to support economic development through the improved movement of goods, to provide better access to transportation facilities and major activity centers and to enhance safety, by reducing fatal and serious crashes.

The amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program will add preliminary design funding to develop concepts in conjunction with the project development and environmental (PD&E) studies, and to acquire a parcel from a willing seller that was identified during the PD&E phase for the project involving U.S. 98, from south of U.S. 301 to north of U.S. 301.

Carl Mikyska, executive director for the Pasco MPO, informed board members of the additional funding during an April 8 meeting.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked: “Do we have all of the money to widen (State Road) 52 all of the way across?”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley responded: “One section is not done yet, between (U.S.) 41 and Bellamy Road, is still not funded.”

Justin Hall, from FDOT’s District 7, told Starkey the target year for funding that section of State Road 52 is in fiscal year 2027.

“I am curious why we’re doing (U.S.) 301 ahead of (State Road) 52,” Starkey said.

Hall responded: “The TIP amendment that is before you is for some concept development, along (U.S.) 301 and (State Road) 98. This project is coming through a new program. It’s a rural arterial widening program.”

Starkey persisted: “I just wondered if we could use any of that money toward (State Road) 52.

Hall responded: “I don’t believe any of this money could be reallocated toward the (State Road) 52 project. There was a list of projects submitted to central office that met the criteria that they sent out to the districts. I believe this was one of two projects within our district that met all of the criteria.”

Starkey continued: “Do we know what the criteria was?”

Hall answered: “A big portion of it was the truck percentage, the truck traffic. U.S. 98/U.S. 301 corridor has a very high percentage of trucks per volume.”

Starkey observed: “I drive (State Road) 52 to come here and I can tell you, it’s full of trucks. It’s odd that we’re doing (U.S.) 301 ahead of (State Road) 52.

Substantial progress has been made in widening State Road 52, but one section — between U.S. 41 and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard has not yet been funded.

“But, thank you for the gift,” Starkey said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said “the importance of that widening, that connection on (State Road) 98, the overall objective is to connect the west side of the state to the east side.”

It will enable the movement of goods without jumping to major highways, he added.

Zephyrhills City Councilman Lance Smith noted: “The current connection of (State Road) 98 to (U.S.) 301 is dangerous, to be honest with you — the way it angles, comes in there. This is going to alleviate that, and provide freight another route.”

Moore added: “It’s going to assist them, with all of the great things they’re doing in Dade City, as well.”

Smith also touched on the complexity of state road funding.

“It’s very complicated in my mind, the pots of money that are available for certain projects.

“The matrix is very complicated.”

Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

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Complaints have persisted for years about traffic congestion at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

There also have been on-again, off-again public discussions over the best solution for reducing traffic at the place where two of Pasco’s busiest roads meet.

This aerial view shows the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54. During morning and afternoon rush hours, there are significant backups at the busy intersection in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

State Road 54 runs east-west, and had an average daily traffic count of 63,000 in 2019, according to figures supplied by the Florida Department of Transportation.

U.S. 41 runs north-south, and had average daily traffic counts of 69,000 in 2019, according to state road officials.

On top of that, there’s new growth underway and future growth coming in Land O’ Lakes.

Plus, State Road 54 is an evacuation route when hurricanes threaten.

But, complaints about traffic congestion are likely to persist for some time, because even in a best-case scenario, any option for improvements is likely to be at least 10 years away from funding.

That’s according to a Feb. 11 presentation to the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board by Craig Fox, a project manager for FDOT.

While a solution may be a long way off, the issue is expected to get public attention this year, as consideration is given to four alternatives being studied by state road officials.

Fox outlined those four options:

  • Alternative 1: Two lanes of State Road 54, in each direction, are elevated over U.S. 41. Two frontage lanes run parallel to State Road 54, east-west. Additional lanes allow left and right turns to U.S. 41.
  • Alternative 2: An at-grade intersection without elevated lanes. Left-turns occur prior to the main intersection, using a frontage road along the cross streets.
  • Alternative 3: Two lanes of State Road 54 are elevated in each direction over U.S. 41. Left-turning traffic crosses over the opposing through traffic, several hundred feet before the major intersection.
  • Alternative 4: No Build

While there’s no funding for construction until 2031, work continues to study the alternatives, Fox told the MPO board.

“We are currently working on concepts for all three build alternatives,” he said.

In evaluating the alternatives, Fox said, “we’re looking at the improvements based on traffic operations, safety costs, impacts, right of way impacts, also.

“From that we’re going to select a build alternative to carry into the PD&E (Project Design & Environmental Study) phase, and eventually the design phase,” he said.

This map shows the Florida Department of Transportation’s study of the alternatives being considered for improvements to the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection in Land O’ Lakes.

He expects a public meeting on the alternatives to occur later this year, he said.

Once the alternative is chosen, the PD&E would be conducted in 2021 to 2022.

That would be followed by design, which would occur from 2022 to 2024.

And, after that, right of way acquisition would occur from 2025 to 2026.

Construction, however, would not start until 2031, Fox said.

“It actually got pushed out to 2031-2032, and that was kind of also due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the statewide budget.”

At the Pasco MPO board meeting, Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano told Fox: “I like that you’re doing all of the alternatives. The one that intrigues me the most is the flyover, going east-west, because I think that’s going to be critical. It’s as much a safety factor, with the rail line that goes north-south, and especially if the rail line is ever going to run up and down. That would be safer, as well as more efficient, for that rail line, as well.”

Fox said the FDOT is currently updating right of way costs affiliated with the three alternatives.

He said it will be up to the Pasco County MPO to determine when the Vision 54/56 Task Force will reconvene.

The public will be able to comment on the alternatives at the Alternative Public Meeting, which is expected in Summer of 2021. They also will be able to comment online and via mail, he said.

Published March 03, 2021

Helping people get from place to place, safely

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As Pasco County and the municipalities within the county’s borders continue to grow, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey thinks the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization should have a greater voice in planning future roads to ensure safety, while promoting connectivity.

The issue came up repeatedly during the Pasco MPO’s Feb. 11 meeting.

“I’m wondering if it’s the role of the MPO to give some policy direction when we work on our road network,” Starkey asked her colleagues.

This aerial photo of the State Road 56 extension shows a pristine stretch of roadway, running from Meadow Pointe Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel, to U.S. 301, in Zephyrhills. But that road will be developed on both sides, and once it is, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey says it will be hard for pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross the road. She’d like future road planning efforts to be more forward-thinking when it comes to cyclists, pedestrians and people driving golf carts. (File)

She’d like the MPO board to be able to weigh in before road projects are done — to keep safety in mind for pedestrians, cyclists and golf cart users.

Otherwise, she said, the county and local jurisdictions could end up with scenarios they don’t want and have to spend more money later to make changes.

The issue of paying more attention to connectivity came up during discussion of an item to amend the transportation improvement plan to include two wildlife culverts under State Road 52.

The culverts will connect the Connor Preserve on the southern side of State Road 52 to the northern side of State Road 52, in the area of Parker Lake.

Once those culverts are added, right of way acquisition will begin this year, according to the agenda item.

Starkey asked if there’s a way to look at these planned wildlife crossings to make them large enough to allow cyclists and pedestrians to pass through them.

She suggested making the crossings 8 feet deep, to make room for people to go back and forth.

Doing that would be much cheaper than putting an overpass over State Road 52, added Starkey, an avid proponent for using trails to create connectivity within and between communities.

She noted that the extension of State Road 56, between Meadow Pointe Boulevard and U.S. 301, would have benefited from forward-thinking regarding pedestrians and cyclists.

“Now, we’re going to have a problem, of how to get people safely from the south side of Two Rivers to the north side of Two Rivers,” Starkey said. “If we had just gone up a little in elevation, it would have been a lot cheaper than whatever the solution is going to be.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed with Starkey’s observation. He told her: “You brought up a great point way back at State Road 52 and (Interstate) 75, about doing something for cyclists to be able to go under that bridge, as well, that did get accomplished. It delayed the project a little bit, but I think it was well worth it.”

Starkey said: “I think it was a $1 million redo. “That is much cheaper than a $10 million, $12 million flyover for cyclists — or whatever other solution there could have been.”

Mariano said he would like the state roads department to take another look at the wildlife crossings proposed for the State Road 52 project.

“Instead of being tight underneath, maybe it should be a big box culvert that will actually allow a couple of bicyclists width-wise to go through. I think it’s something we should explore. It’s a lot cheaper to do it now, than it would be later,” Mariano said.

Justin Hall, with the Florida Department of Transportation, said the department will consider the request. “I can circle back with the project manager and we can take a look at that.”

The issue of advance planning to improve safety and mobility also came up during discussion of two work task orders, approved by the board after discussion.

In one work task, Aecom will prepare Active Transportation Plan procedures and outline a public engagement process.

The consultant will “assist with the actual plan development; the recommended schedule, preparing draft templates for how the plan should be put together and also prepare the next steps. It’s essentially the strategic approach for how to put together the Active Transportation Plan, which is something the county has not had in more recent times,” said Nectarios Pittos, acting executive director for the Pasco MPO.

That work task order was approved for $49,917.25.

The second work task order is being handled by Tindale Oliver & Associates.

“This will include available data sources, data assembly, demographics, data gap, data collection, GIS mapping, crash data analysis, technical memo development, review of comprehensive plan and right of way preservation with standards,” Pittos said.

“This is essentially the technical understanding of what information we have, ahead of the plan formation,” he said. That work task order was approved for $48,666.14.

By having the two work task orders done at the same time, the MPO hopes to finish phase one of the project by the end of June, so it can begin plan development starting in August, Pittos said.

Starkey asked if this planning would be an appropriate place to consider policies that the MPO would like to be considered during future road planning.

“Certainly when they’re developing the plan, there will be recommendations and policies established in that plan. Our understanding is that this plan is going to take a lot of cue from the long-range transportation plan, so there will be a definite dove-tailing of the two documents.

“So, you’ll be able to make recommendations and essentially set policy as well, in these documents.

“The MPO can have its own policy and work with the various jurisdictions that are working with the MPO, to follow that policy,” Pittos said.

Published March 03, 2021