The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

U.S. 301

All new lanes on State Road 52 now open

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New lanes heading west toward Interstate 75 are now open, as part of the widening and realigning State Road 52 from Uradco Place to Fort King Road. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced on Oct. 6 that all State Road 52 lanes are open in the construction project corridor beginning east past Interstate 75 and ending at U.S. 301, after State Road 52 becomes Clinton Avenue once past Prospect Road at the edge of St. Leo.

New State Road 52 runs through San Antonio and through the new Mirada Community, which features the largest human-made lagoon in the country.

According to FDOT, the contractor will need to do periodic day and night lane closures along the corridor to finish the work from east of I-75 to Fort King Road. Motorists are advised to stay within the posted 45 mph speed limit and use caution because construction work may be active throughout the project corridor.

This project was the widening and realigning State Road 52 from Uradco Place to Fort King Road.

  • Between Uradco Place and Bayou Branch Canal the existing road will be widened to a four-lane divided roadway.
  • East of Bayou Branch Canal, the new alignment of four-lane divided State Road 52 has been built south of the former State 52 (now County Road 52) tying into Clinton Avenue.
  • Clinton Avenue between County Road 579 and Fort King Road has been widened to a four-lane divided road.
  • Clinton Avenue between Pasadena Avenue and U.S. 301 is now part of the new State Road 52. The section of the former State Road 52 between Bayou Branch Canal (west of Mirada Blvd.) and U.S. 301 is now designated County Road 52.

State Road 52 traffic was directed to the new alignment in February.

Published October 18, 2023

National bicycle route will be running through Pasco County

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization has approved a proposed bicycle route through Pasco County to be part of the U.S Bicycle Route System.

The countywide transportation planning agency has agreed to a route proposed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which is working to expand the national bike route system.

The draft enters Pasco on the Withlacoochee State Trail, then goes to U.S. 301, Christian Road, Powerline Road, Frazee Hill Road, 14th Street, U.S. 301 and State Road 39.

The route going through Pasco is U.S. Bicycle Route 15, which will be a designated route for cyclists traveling through the Florida Gulf Coast.

Currently, the route is only in southern Georgia, 92 miles from Fitzgerald, Georgia, and in northern Florida, from the Georgia line to Madison.

The proposal is to extend it from Madison to Miami, which is 496 additional miles,  according to materials in the Pasco MPO’s agenda packet.

The Pasco MPO’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee recommended approval of the proposed route, with the caveat that Pasco has safe alternative routes in addition to the route chosen by the national group.

Pasco officials favor the extension of the national bicycle route through the county because it fits in with the county’s tourism development goals.

Published September 20, 2023

Speed limits change, more Penny for Pasco projects funded

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The Pasco County Commission during its Aug. 22 meeting voted to reduce speed limits on three county roads, and it disbanded the Airport Zoning Commission because the commission had wrapped up its work.

Pasco County motorists should be aware that lower speed limits have been adopted on stretches of Morris Bridge, Chancey and Little roads. 

The speed limit on Morris Bridge Road, from the Pasco County line to State Road 54 has been reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph.

A study conducted in the 3.4-mile area on Morris Bridge Road found that there had been 75 crashes within three years. The traffic volume on the road is an average of 14,000 vehicles per day.

The county board also revised the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on Chancey Road from Morris Bridge Road east to Sandy Drive and from Allen Road east to US 301 (Gall Boulevard).

An assessment of traffic conditions, operational safety, and accident history was performed on Chancey Road from Morris Bridge Road to Gall Boulevard, according to materials in the board’s agenda packet. Within the last three years, the study area has seen 76 crashes. The background materials also noted that traffic on Chancey Road is significant, with an average of 8,700 vehicles per day passing through the area.

The speed limit on Little Road, from Plathe Road to Decubellis Road also has been decreased, in this case, from 55 mph to 45 mph.

The county board’s agenda packet notes that Little Road to the north and south of the study area has a posted speed limit of 45 mph.

The agenda background materials note that in the judgment of engineers in the county’s Traffic Operations Department, reducing the speed limit would improve operational safety and maintain uniformity of speed.

The county board also added some projects to be funded with Penny for Pasco tax proceeds. The revenues have exceeded projections, so the county is able to fund approximately $9.8 million in additional projects.

Here’s a look at what’s been added to the list:

Public safety

  • The Fire Rescue Logistics Building 

Engineering
Road improvements

  • Denton Avenue and East Road
  • Old Pasco Road

Sidewalks

  • Grand Boulevard 

Signalization 

  • Baillie Drive and Broadmoor Drive at Rowan Road Intersections
  • Cypress Creek Boulevard at County Line Road
    • Lakeview Drive/Bethwood Avenue at Moon Lake Road
    • Mitchell Ranch Road at Seven Springs Boulevard 
  • Mitchell Ranch Road at State Road 54
    • Notre Dame Drive at Rowan Road
    • Oakwood Preserve at Mansfield Boulevard
    • Slidell Street/Lacey Drive at Moon Lake Road
    • Trinity Boulevard at Cool Springs Parkway
    • Winding Oaks Boulevard at North County Line Road 

In other action, the county board disbanded the Airport Zoning Commission.

That advisory board was created to address issues relating to airport zoning and land use compatibility regulations.

The county board adopted Airport Zoning Overlay Districts on Aug. 8, which signaled the completion of a collaborative effort involving the county’s legal staff, planning staff, the Airport Zoning Commission and community stakeholders.

The county board also:

  • Approved the extension of a lease with Arts in Motion Community Youth Theatre/Arts Education Inc., for the Florida not-for-profit community youth theater to occupy the 5,828-square-foot building at 13971 Seventh St., in Dade City. The board also approved two additional one-year renewal options. The group is using the former IT/Data Building in Dade City.
  • Appointed Denise Nicholas as the District 5 representative to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for a three-year term beginning on Aug. 8 and ending Aug. 8, 2026.
  • Adopted a resolution recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day as a time to remember those who have died from overdose and acknowledge the grief of family and friends left behind. The resolution noted that Pasco County suffered 1,510 overdoses last year, of which 289 were fatal.

Published September 06, 2023

Clinton Avenue repaving in Dade City delayed

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(Mike Camunas)

The repaving project of Clinton Avenue in Dade City has been delayed indefinitely, according to a news release from Pasco County.

The pavement rehabilitation project had been set to begin July 28, with crews resurfacing the existing roadway and adding new pavement markings.

The county sent out a news release on July 26 saying a new completion date has not been determined.

The segment of Clinton Avenue under construction runs from U.S. Highway 301 to Old Lakeland Highway – in both directions.

When the project does resume, the county said to expect minor delays.

Work hours on the project will be Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

County officials also said to expect single-lane closures with message boards directing traffic during the weeks-long project, depending on weather conditions.

Published August 02, 2023

C.R. 54 improvements nearly complete

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Sometimes plans change.

While the project is nearly complete, the finished product of the County Road 54 Phase II will be different than originally planned, Pasco County officials told The Laker/Lutz News.

County Road 54 Phase II in Zephyrhills will consist of a two-lane roadway section east of U.S. 301 and west of 12th Street/Wire Road, with the addition of left and right turn lanes on County Road 54 at the intersection of 12th Street/Wire Road — and a left-turn lane on Wire Road. (Mike Camunas)

Originally, County Road 54 was expected to have a four-lane roadway section, east of U.S. 301 and west of 12th Street/Wire Road. Additionally, it would be a two-lane roadway section between 12th Street/Wire Road and 23rd Street. 

The section and plans, which are adjacent to Zephyrhills High, were per the Pasco County Commission’s approved route study. 

After 60% completion design phase, and during the utility coordination stage, it was discovered there would be substantial right of way costs resulting from impacts to a new Duke Energy transmission easement. Those costs would have occurred in the part of the project where the four-lane roadway section had been proposed, the county added. 

Relocating the Duke Energy facilities would cause significant impacts to the high school.

Design alternatives were provided, and the evaluation of alternatives involved five inter-agency meetings with staff from Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills and the Pasco County School District. Parties involved agreed to a project redesign.

The current project consists of a two-lane roadway section east of U.S. 301 and west of 12th Street/Wire Road, with the addition of left and right turn lanes on County Road 54 at the intersection of 12th Street/Wire Road — and a left turn lane on Wire Road.

The remainder of the project’s design is unchanged from the original design, according to county officials.

Right and left turn lanes are proposed on County Road 54 at the intersections of 20th Street and 23rd Street, while a new traffic signal is proposed at 23rd Street.

Published August 02, 2023

Shuffle of road work priorities ruffles feathers in Zephyrhills

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A project to address congestion near downtown Zephyrhills had been ranked fourth on the proposed Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) project priority list.

But it dropped to eighth place on the list after a discussion during the MPO board’s May meeting.

That action drew a response from the City of Zephyrhills during the MPO board’s meeting on June 8.

Lance Smith, a city councilman from Zephyrhills, said he’s not sure the Pasco MPO board should change the priority of projects that were ranked using a matrix to establish their place on the list.

Todd Vande Berg, planning director for the City of Zephyrhills, asked the board to reconsider its decision and restore the priority list to its original order.

“So, we heard there was some discussion about flipping the 301 rankings and placing some higher priority on the 301 project, south of town, down to 56,” Vande Berg said, during the public comment portion of the board meeting.

“The city has some concerns about this and we wanted to share some of those concerns.

“Not only has the project through town, through Zephyrhills, been on the project list for a couple decades, we’ve been patiently waiting for the State Road 52 project to get done,” Vande Berg said.

“Without these major road improvements, sidewalks, roads, lighting for safety, it’s kind of stymied our efforts for development and redevelopment.

“Meanwhile, the traffic through town has significantly gotten worse through the past couple decades.

“So, city staff, our city council and businesses are not excited about the ranking being changed,” the planning director said.

He noted that Zephyrhills’ city staff, the city council, the business community and the MPO’s technical advisory committee all recommend sticking to the original order.

Vande Berg also noted that the other project is expected to be addressed relatively soon.

“While there are traffic tie-ups at U.S.301 and State Road 56 during peak hours, Zephyrhills has congestion throughout the day,” he said.

Zephyrhills Councilman  Lance Smith suggested the ranking order could remain the same and that other interim improvements be made to lessen congestion at State Road 56 and U.S. 301.

Smith noted the original rankings were based using a set of criteria for prioritizing projects.

“Why are we changing it?” he asked.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano said the Florida Department of Transportation wants to see both projects done, back-to-back.

“I think they’re both going to fly,” Mariano said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley observed: “Zephyrhills right now has three lanes going north and three lanes going south,” he said.

But U.S. 301 has just two lanes in the area near State Road 56, creating a bottleneck.

He’d like to see State Road 56 extended across U.S. 301, down through Crystal Springs and then around toward the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

Besides improving the transportation network, it could address stormwater issues in the Crystal Springs area, Oakley said.

Oakley added: “I’m for both (U.S. 301 projects). I just think that bottleneck at the south needs to be opened up or it won’t keep jamming all of that traffic back up to the city.”

Justin Hall, director of transportation development for the District Seven office of the FDOT, offered assurances to Zephyrhills’ officials that FDOT is very interested in improving conditions on U.S. 301.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County. Its board is made up of the five members of the Pasco County Commission and one elected official from the cities of New Port Richey, Port Richey, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

Published June 21, 2023

U.S. 301 logjam in Pasco prompts priority switch

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization has decided to shuffle the order on its priority project list to take aim at congestion problems on U.S. 301, near State Road 56, a few years earlier.

That decision came during the Pasco MPO board’s meeting on May 11.

Carl Mikyska, executive director of the transportation planning organization, brought the issue to the board for information and discussion.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley called for shuffling the order of Pasco County’s transportation project priorities to tackle a congestion problem on U.S. 301, near State Road 56, sooner than had been planned. (File)

He noted that the intersection of U.S. 301 and State Road 56 “experiences a great deal of congestion, particularly during the morning and afternoon peaks.”

The area also is poised for significant development, the transportation planning executive added.

There are expected to be between 5,000 to 7,000 new certificates of occupancy issued in the State Road 56/U.S. 301 area by 2024, according to materials in the board’s agenda packet.

The background materials also note that the transportation model for the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan appears to have underestimated the amount of traffic that has occurred in the area that impacts the segment of U.S. 301, from the Pasco/Hillsborough county line to Chancey Road.

There are six active developments in the area that, at build out, will contain nearly 13,000 housing units; 593,600 square feet of commercial space; 1,390,555 square feet of office space; 1,335,000 square feet of industrial space; and 630,000 square feet of retail space, the background materials say.

The widening of U.S. 301 in that area ranks as the No. 3 priority on the MPO board’s list, with right of way acquisition proposed in 2027-2028 and construction expected to occur beyond the current five-year plan.

Only two projects in Pasco ranked higher on the priority list are the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54, which is No. 1, and paired one-way roads at U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills, which ranks No. 2, Mikyska said.

He also noted: “Pasco County is probably growing faster than ever anticipated. Pasco County is the fifth fastest-growing county in the nation. So, we are experiencing some very rapid growth and with that growth comes congestion.”

The bottleneck on U.S. 301 resulted from the four-lane extension of State Road 56, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel to U.S. 301, in Zephyrhills.

As traffic comes and goes from State Road 56 to U.S. 301, it creates maddening backups in both directions.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley called for making the U.S. 301 widening near State Road 56 the second-highest priority and dropping the paired one-ways, closer to the Zephyrhills’ core, to rank it the third-highest priority.

Widening U.S. 301 near State Road 56 will improve the flow for the entire stretch, Oakley said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman said “we can’t wait until 2028 to address this.

“I think we need to have a sense of urgency in making a decision on this,” Weightman said.

Zephyrhills City Councilman Lance Smith said there’s no denying the problem.

“Right now, the traffic backs up coming into Zephyrhills on (U.S.) 301, all of the way to the river in the evenings. “Going out in the morning, it’s 30 minutes to get through the cycle of lights. It’s a bad stretch and we know it,” he said.

On top of that, development is rampant, Smith said.

“When you look at this, it is pretty staggering to see the number of units that are going to be put in there,” he said.

Smith asked if interim steps could be taken to provide relief.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey had the same question.

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein said consultants had looked at the question and intersection improvements would not be enough.

“The volumes are just too high on this segment. You need to improve the segment,” Goldstein said. “It is not an intersection issue. The issue is when you hit (U.S.) 301, (U.S.) 301 and (State Road) 56, (and, U.S.) 301 and Chancey (Road) — they just fail,” Goldstein said.

Without shifting the priorities, this improvement would be five years or six years later than the one-way pairs near Zephyrhills’ core.

Then Smith asked: “Why do we keep entitling units on substandard roads?”

Goldstein responded: “This is the same developer that’s paying a lot of money for (the four-lane extension of) State Road 56.”

Then Smith made this point: “My fear is that I have seen us get pushed before. Every time it gets pushed, it seems to further down the list,” Smith said.  “The one-way pairs get pushed and pushed and pushed.”

Oakley responded: “I think the section (of U.S. 301) south of Zephyrhills that goes to (State Road) 56 needs to be four-laned, prior to  doing the one (one-way pairs) in Zephyrhills.”

The ideal case would be the projects come in together, the East Pasco commissioner added.

Oakley made a motion to switch the priorities, which was seconded by Starkey and approved by the board.

The Pasco MPO’s board is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey. The Pasco MPO is the lead transportation planning organization for Pasco County. The Florida Department of Transportation uses local transportation planning organizations’ priority lists when making its funding decisions and seeking other potential sources of funding.

Published May 24, 2023

Pasco County bans thru trucks on portion of Overpass Road

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Complaints about increased truck traffic and damage being caused by the heavy vehicles have resulted in a ban on thru truck traffic on a segment of Overpass Road, from Curley Road to Old Bridge Road.

The ban also applies to Old Bridge Road, from Overpass Road to Handcart Road.

The Pasco County Commission adopted an ordinance instituting the ban during its May 9 meeting.

The action arose after residents from the Watergrass area appeared before the county board complaining about problems being caused by increased truck traffic, which resulted from the opening of the new Interstate 75-Overpass Road interchange.

The reasons for the ban, as outlined in the May 9 agenda packet, are:

  • Old Bridge Road from Overpass Road to Handcart Road runs through a dense residential neighborhood, even though it provides a connection to Handcart Road from Overpass Road.
  • There is a significant amount of non-motorized activity along this roadway, along with the presence of some neighborhood parks along the road and a significant number of pedestrians crossing along Old Bridge Road.

The county board has the authority to restrict truck traffic, based on Pasco County Ordinance Chapter 106, Article II, Section 106-3, according to information in the agenda packet.

The opening of a new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road has resulted in increased truck traffic in residential areas, prompting calls for a No Thru Truck ban on the affected roads. The Pasco County Commission listened and adopted an ordinance to make that happen, until the extension of Overpass Road from Old Bridge Road to U.S. 301 is completed. (Courtesy of the Florida Department of Transportation)

That ordinance says, the county board, “by the adoption of a resolution, may restrict the use of roads, highways, and streets under its regulatory jurisdiction by placing reasonable restrictions on the operation of commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods.”

Once the board establishes the restrictions and the sign is installed, “it shall be unlawful for the operator of any commercial vehicle to operate the vehicle in violation of the restrictions.”

The board’s new restrictions will be effective upon the posting of signs, as required for enforcement.

The cost to install new signs is estimated at $400.

When the extension of Overpass Road from Old Bridge Road to U.S. 301 is completed, the No Thru Traffic ordinance on the section of Overpass Road from Curley Road to Old Bridge Road will be repealed, according to the agenda materials.

Tami Cook, who lives on Bluestem Court in Watergrass, appeared during the public comment section of the board’s meeting.

She thanked the board for taking up the truck traffic issue.

She asked: “Will there be a flashing sign trailer put up until permanent signage (of the No Thru Trucks) is in place?”

She also told the board that residents of Watergrass and the CDD board have paid $7,000 in repairs on the manhole cover on the corner of Overpass and Old Bridge Road because the road is too narrow for big trucks to make the turn.

Cook also asked about the status of an interim plan to route the I-75 traffic from the Overpass Road interchange.

She noted that the plan was to route the traffic to U.S. 301, via the Overpass Road extension.

But that project isn’t done and might not even be started for five years, Cook said.

“Wesley Chapel is now one of the fastest-growing communities in the region, with projections estimating a population of 93,700 people by 2024.

“May I propose that this project be moved to the earliest possible start date? The population density growth has already warranted that,” Cook said.

The area resident also noted the noise problems being caused by traffic.

“Does Pasco County have a noise ordinance for decibel limits allowed for roadway noise caused by traffic in residential zones?” Cook asked. “If so, can we request a noise pollution study in the affected areas of Watergrass and Epperson?

“As concerned citizens, in this area, the additional thousands of homes will produce thousands of cars on the road, within these two communities.

“It’s our understanding that New Port Richey has strengthened their noise ordinance. In residential areas, the ordinance sets the limit for 55 decibels from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It drops to 50 decibels from 10:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.

“Does this ordinance also apply to Wesley Chapel?

“The traffic noise in Watergrass and Epperson currently far exceeds these limits,” she said.

She also asked: “Are their noise ordinances for mufflers, the use of Jake-Brakes in residential areas?

“Who enforces them, if there’s a violation, if so,” Cook said.

The county board typically does not respond directly to questions raised during the public comment portion of its meetings, but rather refers speakers to staff members who can assist or their office staff, who can take their contact information.

In this case, Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano referred Cook to a county staff member regarding the concerns over the manhole damage.

Published May 17, 2023

Taking a deeper look at causes of traffic deaths in Pasco

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When the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization discussed new performance standards for safety in February, they asked staff to bring back a more detailed look at traffic-related fatalities.

That’s exactly what happened at the board’s meeting in March.

Tina Russo, active transportation planner for the Pasco MPO, detailed causes for crashes in Pasco County, based on information gleaned from long-form crash reports completed by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and local police departments.

Lane departures, distracted drivers, drowsy drivers, speeding, lack of seatbelts and other factors contribute to the number of serious injuries and deaths that arise from traffic crashes in Pasco County, according to statistics gathered by Tina Russo, who works for the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Collisions also frequently occur at intersections. (File)

The idea was to take a closer look at who is being killed on Pasco County roads, who is using the roads and what can be done to prevent crashes, Russo said.

The analysis also took a close look at crash types.

It’s important to know how the crashes are happening, to help prevent them from occurring, she explained.

Russo refuses to call the collisions “accidents,” instead referring to them as crashes.

Increased vigilance and changes in behavior are needed to reduce the death toll on Pasco roads, she said.

The data reveals that Pasco’s crash rate is higher per capita than the state average and higher per capita than in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, too, Russo said.

Pasco County’s population in 2020 was 561,000 in 2020 — nearly 100,000 more than it was a decade before, Russo noted. “Of course, we’re higher than that (now),” she added.

The crash reports show that most of the collisions are occurring on major roads — such U.S. 19, U.S. 301, U.S. 98 and Interstate 75.

“Little (Road) is becoming very similar to (U.S.) 19, unfortunately,” Russo said.

Pasco County Commissioner Gary Bradford cited an inherent problem with information contained on the long-form crash reports.

“There are five law enforcement agencies in the county. Do they all get the same training in filling out these forms? Yes.

“Would I absolutely 100% trust these forms? Absolutely not,” Bradford said. “You have to look at them, sometimes, with a jaundiced eye.”

Russo told the MPO board that while FHP and the local police departments fill out the long-form crash reports, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office does not.

She also detailed the types of behaviors that are killing motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists in the county.

The largest number of crashes in 2022 occurred at intersections, according to the report. There were 4,486 wrecks at intersections, resulting in 308 serious injuries and 33 deaths.

Lane departures are a significant cause of crashes, Russo said. The report shows 3,246 crashes involving lane departures, resulting in 236 serious injuries and 45 fatalities.

“Half of that number is someone driving off the road, with no seatbelt on, hitting a fixed object,” Russo said.

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman said he’d like to see data involving the safety of roundabouts.

A memorial has been created on State Road 52 near Land O’ Lakes. (Mike Camunas)

Russo offered this observation: “We do know there are less fatalities and serious injuries at roundabouts because of lower speeds. There may be more crashes, but they’re at much lower speeds.

“As a cyclist, I love roundabouts,” she added.

The age of drivers also plays a big role in Pasco’s crashes.

It may not be all that surprising that teenagers were involved in 1,504 crashes in Pasco in 2022, resulting in 104 serious injuries and 12 deaths, according to the Pasco MPO’s report.

But the numbers for aging drivers were even higher, with 2,624 crashes, resulting in 207 serious injuries and 23 deaths, the report shows.

Reducing traffic-related fatalities also involves changing behaviors, she said.

“It’s a scary trend to think that people aren’t wearing their seatbelts again,” Russo said.

Just two changes would result in far fewer deaths from traffic crashes, she added.

“If people wore seatbelts and helmets, our fatality rate would probably drop 50%,” Russo said.

Resolving traffic safety issues takes a collaborative commitment — involving traffic operations, project management, planning and public education, among other things, Russo said.

Improving safety also requires a shared effort by everyone who travels through the county — in vehicles, on bicycles, on motorcycles and by foot, she said.

“Our No. 1 goal is saving lives,” Russo said.

The Pasco County MPO is the lead transportation planning agency for the county and is made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port  Richey.

Published April 05, 2023

Pasco eyes possible Ridge Road extension to Overpass Road

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The final segment of the Ridge Road, which is scheduled to reach U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes, could turn into just another stop along the road.

The board of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) — the county’s lead transportation planning agency — has decided to let its staff explore the possibility of extending Ridge Road over to Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel.

The study came at the suggestion of Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano who noted that work has been approved to plan an extension of Overpass Road to U.S. 301.

If that extension occurs to the east of Overpass and if the proposed link is approved to U.S. 41, then Ridge Road potentially could become another east-west road corridor across Pasco.

The stars on this map indicate the end point of Ridge Road on U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes and a potential endpoint for an extension that would take it to Overpass Road. The potential extension is just an idea at this point. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Mariano discussed the idea with Carl Mikyska, executive director of the Pasco MPO, and brought the issue to the board at its Feb. 9 meeting, for discussion and direction.

“Currently, state roads 54 and 52 offer east-west movements, but there’s a distance between those two roads. The concept here is to look at a mid-county, east-west connection,” Mikyska said.

Mariano told his MPO board colleagues: “The traffic relief we’ve felt from the Ridge Road extension, running from let’s call it Moon Lake to Suncoast has been great,” Mariano said.

Ridge Road is slated to reach Sunlake Boulevard in the summer and then stretch over to U.S. 41 in 2025, he said.

He encouraged his colleagues to support a closer look at extending it to Overpass Road.

“Let’s investigate it, see if it works. I think if you put that other road going across this whole county, it’s going to really help us long-term with our transportation issues,” he said.

Mariano added: “This is not a brand-new idea. When I was first elected, this was one of the things we talked about. We had to decide whether we were going to keep fighting with (U.S.) Army Corps (of Engineers) to get the Ridge Road extension, we were looking to get all of the way to (Interstate) 75.”

The decision was made at that time to get Ridge Road to U.S. 41 and then look at an additional extension, Mariano said.

“I think it’s wise to take a look at it now. Let’s get started on it and see where it takes us.”

Starkey asked about potential environmental restrictions.

Mikyska noted: “There are some wellfields in there and it’s labeled the Cypress Creek Preserve.”

Starkey added: “I don’t know what kind of restrictions are on there. I just don’t know what we would be up against if we went through there.”

Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman expressed words of caution.

“So, obviously this goes through the heart of my district,” he said.

“The property that is owned through here is kind of a conglomerate of Tampa Bay Water, SWFMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) owns parcels and there’s some private entities.

“As it gets further east, there’s conservation easement with one family. A little bit further south, Quail Hollow, then it connects into the Overpass area.

“That area is such a significant area for our water supply, our water quality,” he said.

“Studying it (the road extension), is one thing. I think we really, really need to understand the impacts, if we go disturbing that because that water supplies, obviously, you know the Greater Tampa Bay area, with an essential resource,” Weightman said.

“It’s a very environmentally sensitive place. It’s a very pristine piece of nature.

“I just want that on the record as we look at this,” Weightman said.

Mariano responded: “I respect what it is. I look at the Suncoast Parkway running right through the heart of Serenova. Keep in mind, too, when we did that, there were 6,500 homes that had been built, 250 acres of commercial development, 250 more acres of other retail that was going to be put in and all of that got extinguished going through.

“I don’t know what the limitations are. I don’t exactly know all of the effects. But I will say, I think that we’ve built that Ridge Road extension, environmentally very sensitive, protected everything down below it.”

Mariano added that the extension could be a two-lane road or a four-lane road.

“We don’t know until we study, the ramifications, etc., but it’s such a critical piece of us, going east-west. I think it’s worth a look. Especially now, since the Overpass interchange has been built. That’s a $55 million product that we’ve got for infrastructure, instead of going all of the way to (U.S.) 301. I think we need to look at both sides.

Weightman responded: “I don’t disagree with looking at a road concept. My concern is once the road is there and limits are pushed, for developments and what comes along with it. I think we just need to be very measured, as we go through this process and really understand the impacts of these properties and building on them.”

Mariano: “’I’m not looking at anything but the roadway to go through.

“If we don’t look at it, we’ll never know.”

Lance Smith, who sits on the Zephyrhills City Council, told his colleagues: “I’m like Commissioner Weightman, I’m very sensitive to the land there. We can study that and we could minimize any impact to it because we don’t need sprawling development along a road, but if we need to move traffic, that’s a different issue.”

The next step will be for the Pasco MPO staff to look at the idea, as it screens projects that would be conducted with the long-range transportation plan.

That list is due in December of 2024, Mikyska said. 

“So the suggestion would be, that as we put in projects to the long-range plan, we take them to a higher-level screening,” Mikyska said.

That screening will provide “a better sense of what exactly we would be facing, in terms of any challenges, such as you’re identifying here.

“I think that would give you a clearer picture of what this facility may offer for challenges and opportunities, and it would allow you to have a more informed choice as we look at going forward or not going forward,” Mikyska said.

Published March 01, 2023