The Laker/Lutz News

Town Center Road

Portion of Ridge Road now open

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A portion of the Ridge Road extension has finally opened up — after some two decades in the making.

This new 4.2-mile, uninterrupted section of roadway runs from Moon Lake to the Suncoast Parkway — offering an east-west thoroughfare in the county.

Project manager Sam Beneck talked about the roadway and its importance. Eventually the road is planned to stretch as far as U.S. 301. But right now, Beneck hopes to finish the roadway as far as the Suncoast Parkway in the weeks ahead. (Fred Bellet)

Pasco County officials hosted a media-only availability and “drive the road” event on Dec. 22 in New Port Richey, for Phase One of the long-awaited roadway project.

Two of the four lanes were expected to open in the days following the special media gathering.

Various reporters and photographers had a chance to speak with county officials who’ve been instrumental in the road’s construction; news crews were escorted onto the roadway in county vehicles, as the location remains an active construction zone.

Pasco County Commission Vice Chair Jack Mariano touted the road’s first phase, and eventual build out, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Vehicles traveling south on the Suncoast Parkway pass over the Ridge Road extension. The area under the parkway’s underpass is still under construction.

“I am so delighted to see the Ridge Road extension getting ready to be opened up,” he said. “It’s been such a long time coming.”

The other two lanes of the 4.2-mile segment — from Town Center Road to Suncoast Parkway — are anticipated to be finished by fall 2022.

Meanwhile, the second leg of the extension, which is slated for completion in 2025, will extend Ridge Road to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

Total construction cost of the entire project is nearly $161 million, with over $151 million in project county funding.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore recently announced that he had asked State Rep. Ardian Zika and State Sen. Ed Hooper to sponsor legislation seeking $14 million for the project, adding they both have agreed to do so.

The completion date for the second leg might be accelerated, if the Florida Legislature provides additional funding for the project.

County officials have pushed for the extension for decades, justifying the need for it to provide an additional east-west hurricane evacuation route.

Stops along the several miles saw remedies to environmental concerns. Pouring from the staff vehicles, County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, pictured far left, leads the way as staff members, media and county commissioners observe a wildlife tunnel for critters wanting to cross from the south side of the new roadway to the north side.

The 9-mile extension, once completed to U.S. 41, also will relieve traffic on State Road 52 and State Road 54, the only two through east-west roads that carry traffic across the county.

“It’s going to alleviate on (State Road) 54 and (State Road) 52,” Mariano said. “It’s going to provide that hurricane evacuation route that’s so desperately needed, not only for Pasco County, but for Pinellas County, as well.”

He added, “The amount of time it saves, is about six hours for the evacuation, so it just makes our people that much safer and our community that much stronger.
The extension also will support the area’s burgeoning growth.

A huge development known as the Angeline community will be rising on thousands of acres, south of State Road 52 and west of U.S. 41.

The future growth includes a 775-acre Pasco campus planned by Moffitt Cancer Center, near the Ridge Road and Suncoast Parkway interchange.

Moffitt’s campus is expected to become a magnet for life sciences research.

The county’s elected leaders and economic development experts also expect Moffitt’s development to have a transformative effect on the area’s future development and to generate thousands of jobs.

Said Mariano, “With Moffitt coming in, it’s going to be a great boost for the economy, and allow easy access for west Pasco residents who want to work there, and back and forth.”

Published January 05, 2022

Pasco to update its facilities master plan

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The Pasco County Commission has approved an agreement with Furr, Wegman & Banks P.A., for a facilities master plan update.

The facilities master plan was completed in March of 2015, and this task calls for completing the work necessary to update it.

The agreement specifies that the task must be performed for an amount not to exceed $336,720, according to background materials in the agenda for the Feb. 9 board meeting.

The facilities master plan is expected to be completed within 248 days of the county’s notice to proceed, unless an extension is approved.

In other action, the commission:

  • Approved a change order with Williamson Dacar Associates Inc., to extend the completion date of Feb. 9, 2021, for the Hugh Embry Library Renovations by 365 days. No funding was required for this action. The time extension will allow for completion of professional services, including construction administration and closeout.
  • Approved a change order with Moss & Associates LLC for the addition of two Design Assist Contractors (DACs) for the jail facility expansion and visitation building detention equipment and security electronics during the pre-construction phase. The amount of the change order is for an amount not to exceed $120,487, for a new cumulative not-to-exceed amount of $591,689 in fiscal year 2021.
  • Accepted a grant from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida Inc., to expand archery supplies for reimbursement in the amount of $4,578 and to authorize the director of the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources, or his designee, to execute the grant agreement. The grant will be used to increase the county’s inventory of bows, arrows and targets; thus making archery education more available at passive parks, such as Starkey and Crews Lake Wilderness Parks and Withlacoochee River Park.
  • Approved the purchase of new carpeting in the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center, in the amount of $57,991.72. The purchase, being made through a state contract, is to replace carpet that is frayed and worn, and has reached the end of its useful life. New carpeting is required to maintain a safe and clean environment, according to agenda background materials.
  • Approve and accept the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Grant funding, through the Florida Department of Transportation, to purchase one vehicle. The grant is specific to Pasco County Public Transportation. Funding for the vehicle Is 80% federal, 10% state and 10% local. The total amount of the award is $90,000, which includes $9,000 match from the state and $9,000 match by the county. If the vehicle exceeds the total cost, the county must make up the difference.
  • Approved a recommendation to approve shortlist firms for roadway design services for design services for the Old Pasco Road widening, from north of Deedra Drive to North of Overpass Road. These are the shortlisted firms, in order: HDR Engineering Inc.; American Consulting Engineers of Florida; WGI Inc.; DRMP Inc.; Madrid Engineering Group Inc.; Johnson Engineering Inc., and Florida Transportation Engineering. The board also authorized negotiations with the top-ranked firm, HDR, to secure a design agreement for the project.

If an agreement cannot be reached with HDR, the board also authorized negotiations could be conducted with the remainder of the firms, in ranked order. An agreement is expected to be brought to the county board for approval within three months.

Commissioners also heard an update from County Administrator Dan Biles, who said the county has signed an agreement that will provide reimbursement to the county for the construction of the interchange at the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road.

The county and the Florida Department of Transportation collaborated extensively to execute the funding agreement, in the amount of $20 million. The plan is to deliver the next phase of the Ridge Road extension — opening two lanes between Town Center Road and the Suncoast Parkway this summer.

Published February 17, 2021

County marks Ridge Road extension milestone

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It was a historic day in Pasco County, as a groundbreaking ceremony was held to celebrate the upcoming construction of the Ridge Road extension.

The new stretch of road will give motorists another east-west option through Pasco County, and will provide an additional evacuation route in the event of a disaster.

From left: Sam Beneck, project manager for the extension, is joined by Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles, Pasco County Commissioners Mike Wells, Jack Mariano, Ron Oakley and Mike Moore; U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Margaret Smith of Pasco County Engineering Services. The Jan. 13 groundbreaking ceremony was the first step in the construction of a project that’s been a county goal for more than 20 years. (Brian Fernandes)

The groundbreaking, held Jan. 13, followed a permit issued in December by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

County officials have been pushing for the project for more than two decades. When the extension is completed, motorists will have another east-west way to get across the county, in addition to State Road 52 and State Road 54.

The ceremony, which drew numerous dignitaries, took place at the end of Town Center Road. That’s where Ridge Road will extend, heading east.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, of District 2, kicked off the ceremony, with a few remarks. He was joined at the ceremony with his colleagues on the commission: Ron Oakley, Jack Mariano, Kathryn Starkey and Mike Wells.

“It’s another great day in Pasco County,” Moore said. “The Ridge Road extension is finally happening, providing a much needed east-west route through the heart of Pasco County for our citizens, and insuring another critical emergency evacuation route.”

Currently, Ridge Road runs between Moon Lake Road to the north, and DeCubellis Road to the south, in New Port Richey.

The roughly 9-mile extension ultimately will link the road to U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

Construction is being broken into two phases.

The new Ridge Road intersections and their anticipated completion dates go as follows:

Phase 1

  • From Moon Lake Road/DeCubellis Road to Town Center Road, with completion scheduled for 2020
  • From Town Center Road to Suncoast Parkway, with completion scheduled for 2021
  • Extension widened from two lanes to four lanes to Suncoast Parkway, with completion scheduled for 2022

Phase 2

  • Four lanes from Suncoast Parkway to Sunlake Boulevard, with completion scheduled for 2022
  • Four lanes from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41, with completion scheduled for 2025

The first phase will cost an estimated $90 million.

The second phase has not been funded.

The project also has received congressional support.

Pasco County Commission Vice Chairman Mike Wells was one of the five county commissioners present for the groundbreaking of the Ridge Road extension on Jan. 13. Wells represents District 4, which includes a portion of the new extension’s path.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida’s 12th congressional district has been an advocate for Ridge Road’s extension. He has urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for several years to issue a permit for the project.

At the groundbreaking, Bilirakis said: “This is a team effort, and it is a big deal. We’re thankful this morning to celebrate a vision that began many years ago.”

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles also was instrumental in helping the project move forward.

He signed off on the permit, the day the county received it.

“As Ridge Road is built, it actually reduces the traffic on [State Roads] 54 and 52, and right around there by 10%,” Biles said.

Commissioner Mariano, who represents District 5, said: “The future’s bright for Pasco County. This is a major accomplishment for a community that stuck together knowing how important it was, and this is something we should be very, very proud of.”

Mariano also called attention to safety concerns that will be addressed as a result of the new corridor.

“One of the major reasons we elevated it (Ridge Road), was to make it safer so it can be used during a hurricane event as well,” he said.

Mariano made reference to Tropical Storm Debby, which caused State Road 54 to shut down in 2012.

“This right here is going to be for the safety of our citizens on the west side of this county,” added Commissioner Ron Oakley, of District 1.

County officials said the elevation also significantly reduces impacts to the wetlands of the Serenova Tract of Starkey Wilderness Preserve. They estimate that reduction in impacts to be as high as 83%.

The project includes 16 bridges, curbs, guardrails and fencing.

Impacts to wildlife are being taken into consideration as well.

The end of Town Center Road has been cleared of brush, and is now being surveyed for gopher tortoises in the vicinity, said Sam Beneck, the project manager.

Any tortoises found in the construction area will be relocated to another site, Beneck said.

While the county has been pushing for the project for decades, environmentalists have been opposed to it.

The opponents, including the Sierra Club Florida Conservation, have said the new measures do not go far enough in protecting the Preserve or wildlife.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who represents District 3, said the extension will provide another alternative for those going to River Ridge High School and River Ridge Middle, which are located along Town Center Road.

That will reduce congestion and improve safety, Starkey said, noting, “it was never intended” for both schools to have only one entrance.

“Not only is this a very important hurricane evacuation route, but it’s also very important for the well-being of the students and the faculty, and all this neighborhood of the River Ridge complex,” Starkey said.

“The Ridge Road extension will have a lasting impact that extends far beyond the community surrounding this site,” said Commission Vice Chairman Mike Wells, of District 4.

After remarks concluded, officials donned hard hats and grabbed shovels to take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking pose.

Ridge Road’s extension to Town Center Road is expected to begin in coming weeks, with construction of that portion expected to be completed by this fall.

Published January 22, 2020

Swiftmud hosting open houses to update floodplain maps

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District, commonly known as Swiftmud, is working to identify flood-prone areas in parts of Pasco County during two upcoming open houses.

The events will take place at River Ridge High School, 11646 Town Center Road in New Port Richey, on April 29 and May 1. Start time each day is 4 p.m.

The open houses are focused on residents who live within the Pithlachascotee River/Bear Creek watershed, which covers most of northern and western Pasco.

Courtesy of Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Courtesy of Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Swiftmud representatives will present preliminary flood information, explain the basis behind the findings, and gather additional information that may be used to identify areas that are prone to flooding. That information will then be finalized and presented to Swiftmud’s governing board, and could possibly be used for future updates to the Federal Emergency Management Agency digital flood insurance rate maps.

The information is typically used by local governments for land use and zoning decisions, to help manage development in and around floodplains and wetlands, to reduce flood risks, to preserve land and water resources, and for emergency planning. It also can be used by residents in decisions about purchasing and protecting property.

For information, or to find out which watershed you live in, visit WaterMatters.org/FloodRisk, or call Swiftmud at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4297.