By Kyle LoJacono
Those driving through the eastern edge of the construction zone to widen SR 54 may have noticed what looks like another road headed toward Zephyrhills.
What they are seeing is the future Zephyrhills Bypass, which will make travel easier between the east Pasco County city and the rest of the county while reducing traffic on SR 54.
“This is one of the biggest road projects in the history of the county,” said James Widman, Pasco chief engineer. “For now we are planning for it to be done in three phases and that portion near Curley (Road) is the first.”
The final plans for the Bypass are not set in stone as its completion will not be until at least 2016, but the overall plan is as follows.
The highway’s construction starts in the west where SR 54 turns south just east of Curley. A four-lane highway will be built through the northern edge of New River Town Center and Harrison-Bennett commercial development in Wesley Chapel. The width will be reduced to two lanes through the more rural areas to the east.
The first phase also includes building a bridge and will connect with Eiland Boulevard near Handcart Road in Zephyrhills. The construction is projected at nearly $12 million plus $2.5 million each for design and engineering and right-of-way land acquisition.
The second part of the project will widen Eiland from two to four lanes from Handcart in the west to Dean Dairy Road. It would also add a sidewalk. Construction would cost about $12.7 million, with an additional $900,000 for design and engineering. Right-of-way would be less than $300,000.
The last portion will continue that widening of Eiland from Dean Dairy to US 301, also called Gall Boulevard. The sidewalk would also be extended through the site. Construction is projected at $17 million, $872,000 for design and engineering and $360,000 for right-of-way.
Several million dollars have already been paid for the project, which brings the total projected cost at more than $50 million. The three-part plan will be paid for by a combination of gas taxes and transportation impact fees if the current plan is followed.
Construction would be completed for the first two phases between 2016 and 2017, while the third will be finished in 2019 or 2020, according to Deborah Bolduc, program administrator for Pasco’s engineering services.
There is still the possibility that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will step in and change the county’s plan for the bypass.
“We are actually hoping FDOT takes jurisdiction of the Zephyrhills Bypass and do the project themselves,” Widman said. “In that case it would be the new (SR) 54 and the county would take control of the existing portion of (SR) 54.”
Widman said if FDOT takes control of the bypass project, the county would continue the widening of the existing SR 54 to US 301 in Zephyrhills. If not then FDOT would do the widening of the existing SR 54 instead.
Whichever governmental body does the widening, the two roads will create two, four-lane highways connecting Zephyrhills with Wesley Chapel and make travel to Land O’ Lakes and the rest of Pasco easier.
“Everyone at the county’s economic development council wants easier ways to connect Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel and the rest of east Pasco with areas to the west,” said John Hagen, Pasco’s president of economic development. “The opening of the SR 56 extension has helped with those connections and the Zephyrhills Bypass and SR 54 widening will continue that trend.
“The roads will make travel easier and will let more people get to the great things in east Pasco County,” Hagen continued. “A connected Pasco is a more economically viable Pasco.”
-All figures involving the Zephyrhills Bypass as in the capital improvement plan for 2011-2015.
