By Kyle LoJacono
The project to improve W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road took another step forward when construction began to widen the street Sept 13.
The current job is widening Lutz-Lake Fern from a two-lane undivided road to a four-lane divided street from just east of the Suncoast Parkway to the Boulevard of the Roses, according to Hillsborough County project manager Edward Arnold. It will cost $9.9 million.
Construction to widen the road from just west of the Suncoast to where the second phase begins was finished in February. It is set to be completed around May 2011.
In addition a planned but unfunded project will continue the widening from the Boulevard of the Roses to 300 feet west of Dale Mabry Highway. The estimated cost for the three-phase project is $58.4 million, according to Hillsborough Public Works spokesperson Steve Valdez.
A few years ago the stretch of road in western Lutz was mostly traveled by residents going to and from their homes, but that changed with the opening of Steinbrenner High for the 2009-10 school year. Both McKitrick Elementary and Martinez Middle were already in the area, but the high school increased the daily traffic on the road nearly to the bursting point.
“Each day, we encounter new challenges as parents, student drivers and school buses mingle with those just trying to pass by on their way to some other location,” said Steinbrenner principal Brenda Grasso. “Closing lanes and changing traffic patterns on the road obviously slow the traffic down considerably. We encourage parents to have their sons and daughters take the bus, and we ask them for patience as the county continues this effort.”
Grasso said a winding road was added on the high school’s campus to get vehicles coming to the school off Lutz-Lake Fern to help with traffic.
The first phase of the widening stopped just to the west of the entrance to the three schools. That intersection currently does not have a traffic signal, but Arnold said one will be added to help vehicles navigate through the area.
Maxine Thompson has lived off of Sunlake Boulevard, in the future third phase of the project, for 10 years and has to drive on Lutz-Lake Fern to get almost anywhere.
“The traffic has really gotten bad since the high school opened, so it would be a lot better to have the bigger road to drive on,” Thompson said. “I’m worried that traffic will be 10 times worse when the construction gets this far east and I’m sure I’ll be cursing the county for doing it then, but hopefully it will get done sooner then later.”
Lutz residents further east could also see a wider Lutz-Lake Fern in the coming years. Valdez said the long-term plan for the road is to widen it all the way to where it stops at US 41 in the east.
Valdez stressed that no plans have been set for the expansion further east, but the most likely way to widen the road is to build land up on one side of the street all the way east and then on the other.
It “is a very winding road in that part of town, so it will be tricky to design,” Valdez said. “It will be needed though as Lutz continues to gain population and with more people coming to (Oscar Cooler Sports Complex).”
The county is seeking input from the community about their concerns and comments about the construction. To do so, call (813) 635-5400 or visit the www.hillsboroughcounty.org/publicworks and click on the “Contact Us” link.
