The neighboring towns of St. Leo and San Antonio came together and painted a line down their border — a line of asphalt — in a joint road improvement collaboration.
In the past eight months, the two towns worked together to fix up, repave and add safety measures to Pompanic Street, which serves as the boundary between San Antonio and St. Leo.
According to town officials, the middle of the road is considered the dividing line and the two municipalities partnered to improve the road. The project, which cost $850,048.38, is about 95% complete after being widened, adding a sidewalk and improving the stormwater drainage.
A solar-powered speed radar and speed limit sign were installed, too.
The less-than-a-mile-long road runs parallel to Lake Jovita, coming off the intersection at State Road 52 and College Avenue.
Town officials said the road improvements will improve public safety.
However, the project was initiated prior to the idea and announcement of St. Leo’s plans to add a multi-faceted town center at the corner of State Road 52 and Lemon Road, less than a mile from the university that also bears its name.
On Feb. 14, St. Leo’s Town Commission voted to move forward with building a town center — a much-welcomed shopping, entertainment, event and community district in the hopes of changing the identity of the oldest incorporated municipality in Pasco County from a drive-through town to a destination.
Additionally, St. Leo also is working with the Florida Department of Transportation to reconfigure the intersection of State Road 52, College Avenue and Pompanic Street to convert the now-complicated intersection into a more traffic-friendly roundabout.
Published April 12, 2023
