By Kyle LoJacono
Pasco County has been trying to get federal approval to extend Ridge Road into Land O’ Lakes for the last 13 years, and the county now has another chance to push for the project.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has consistently denied the permit for an extension to take Ridge from where it stops in New Port Richey to connect with US 41 in Land O’ Lakes. The proposed project, which would also add an interchange with the Suncoast Parkway, has always been deemed too problematic to the wetlands in the area.
“The extension is expected to permanently impact 44 acres of wetlands and temporarily impact 3.5 acres of wetlands,” said Southwest Florida Water Management District spokeswoman Robyn Felix. “The Suncoast interchange with Ridge Road is expected to impact 12 acres of wetlands.”
The latest blow to the extension came last December, when the Corps of Engineers rejected Pasco’s plan to convert 221 acres of land along the Pithlachascotee River into a nature preserve, along with buying 804 acres from a ranch to act as a linkage between the Conner Preserve and the Cross Bar/Albar Ranch.
The Corps of Engineers ruled the plan for the extension would go against federal environmental laws. It proposed widening either or both SR 52 and SR 54 instead of extending Ridge.
“Widening either state road won’t get the job done,” said Pasco Commissioner Pat Mulieri. “Those roadways in west and central Pasco are wide enough for the traffic, but they are in the far north and south of the county. Ridge Road is in the middle of Pasco. That’s where the roadway is needed.”
The county recently gave its new plan for the extension to the Corps of Engineers, but no details of changes from previous plans were released.
Donna Cardellino, a real estate agent, has been working to convince the Corps of Engineers to approve the new plan.
Cardellino said extension is needed as a matter of safety. She recalled it taking firefighters 30 minutes to respond to a fire at a neighbor’s home in the Rosewood community because of road connectivity problems, but she added there are many other benefits from an extended Ridge.
“The Ridge Road extension will ease traffic congestion, save fuel by providing more direct routes across the middle of the county, contribute to public health and safety by providing evacuation access in the event of flood or fire especially for people living in Rosewood, Sablewood and for River Ridge High School and of course contribute to economic development and job creation by linking the US 19, Suncoast Parkway and US 41 corridors,” Cardellino said.
The county has always maintained the greatest reason for the extension is to allow people from central and west Pasco to more easily reach the Suncoast to evacuate in case of a hurricane or other disaster.
State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has been a supporter of an extension. He wrote a letter to the Corps of Engineers last November pushing for approval.
Mulieri has also been outspoken about the “snail’s pace” of the project.
“Two years ago there was a belief that if we did certain things the issuance of the permit was imminent,” Mulieri said. “However, that did not happen. It has been frustrating because it appears that when staff accomplished what is asked for, something else is added.”
Critics of an extension have said it is only a ploy to open more land for development.
“An important aspect is that it will be a limited access road similar to the Suncoast,” Mulieri said. “The board supported this concept a number of years ago to allay the concerns that this was just being built to open up more land for developers.”
While the road seems unable to open additional development, it would likely be a positive to area businesses and Pasco-Hernando Community College’s New Port Richey campus located on Ridge.
“The road would definitely be a plus for PHCC,” Mulieri said. “Also Connerton and the commerce park would benefit.”
The Corps of Engineers is currently taking comment to see if the public wants a hearing about any Ridge extension.
Those interested in voicing their opinion about the extension schould call (813) 769-7063 or do so by mail to:
Tracy Hurst, Biologist
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
10117 Princess Palm Ave., Suite 120
Tampa, FL 33610
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