The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT’s) proposed tentative five-year work program includes about $433 million worth of improvements in Pasco County.
That figure includes about $258 million worth of projects to expand roadway capacity, but it also includes resurfacing, pedestrian and bicycle safety enhancements and other work, too, according to Jensen Hackett, of FDOT.
He highlighted some of the major projects included in the tentative work plan, during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Jan. 12 meeting. The Pasco MPO’s board is made up of elected officials from the Pasco County Commission and the cities of Dade City, Zephyrhills, Port Richey and New Port Richey.
The Pasco MPO also is the chief transportation planning agency for Pasco County.
Here’s a rundown of major Pasco projects included in FDOT’s proposed five-year tentative work plan, which covers fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
Hackett explained how the process works: “This proposed tentative work program will be submitted to the Florida Legislature later this year. They begin their session in March and that goes until May, and that will be their review program from all seven districts and the Florida Turnpike.
Then it goes to the governor for his review, as part of the state budget.
After the governor signs off on the work program, the first year of the five-year tentative plan becomes part of the fiscal 2024 state budget, he explained.
Hackett also told the Pasco MPO board members that the plan calls for a slight delay on a pair of the board’s priority projects involving widening on State Road 52.
One project calls for widening State Road 52 from U.S. 41 to Ehren Cutoff, and the second improvement calls for widening State Road 52 from Ehren Cutoff to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard.
Both of those projects had been set to be let out for contract in January of their respective years, but each has been delayed for six months, Hackett said.
“As you know, a lot of the area along (State Road) 52 has seen some cost increases for that project, as well as a lot of land speculation with all of the right of way that’s there, so we had to do a little bit more of negotiating there. So, we just needed to move these six months, for these projects for this cycle,” he explained.
Here’s a rundown of some other major Pasco projects included in the tentative five-year improvement plan:
- U.S. 41 and State Road 54: From Wilson Road to Osprey Lane. Design funding is proposed for fiscal year 2024, right of way acquisition in fiscal year 2025.
- U.S. 301, Gall Boulevard: From State Road 39 to County Road 54. This project involves a pair of one-way roads. The City of Zephyrhills and FDOT are collaborating on this improvement. Design is proposed in fiscal year 2024 and right of way acquisition from fiscal years 2024 through 2027. Construction has not yet been funded, but all other phases have been.
- U.S. 301: From State Road 39 to State Road 56: This calls for adding lanes and reconstructing the road, along with a trail on the western side of the road. Right of way funds have been added into the tentative work program, in fiscal year 2028.
- U.S. 301: Just south of Dade City to the Hernando County line: Adding lanes and reconstructing the roadway, north of Dade City. Construction funding has been included in fiscal year 2024, in the tentative work plan.
- Interstate 75 (I-75) and Interstate 275 (I-275): This project adds lanes leading from the State Road 56 interchange heading south toward I-75 and toward I-275. When complete, the project will be similar to the lengthy exit from I-75 toward State Road 56. The idea is to make it easier for motorists to get over to I-75 or over to I-275. Right of way acquisition is proposed for fiscal year 2024 and construction for fiscal year 2026.
“It’s to get rid of a lot of weaving conflicts that led to a lot of crashes in that area,” Hackett said.
Pasco MPO Chairman Lance Smith is glad to see that planned improvement.
“I will say that that’s a very dangerous area —anything that we can do — because the cars are going everywhere,” said Smith, who sits on the Zephyrhills City Council.
Published January 25, 2023
