Bruce B. Downs ‘Segment D’ Widening Could Begin In 2017

By Matt Wiley

The previously unfunded final segment of the widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa could begin sometime in 2017.

According to the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), BBD “Segment D,” which will widen the road from four to eight lanes from Pebble Creek Dr. to County Line Rd. and is estimated to cost more than $11 million, is ranked second on the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan and is part of the MPO’s 2014-15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Adopted on September 3, the TIP is used by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to identify where to implement funding for the list of transportation priority projects throughout the county.

Spokesperson Kris Carson explains that FDOT will be using funds from its Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP funds) to help the county pay for the project, matching what Hillsborough will pay with its own local funding.

FDOT has set aside $2,638,918 for fiscal year 2017 to match the county’s amount in that agreement, but the county is then responsible for the rest of the cost, approximately $5.7 million.

“FDOT currently is in the process of creating the ‘tentative’ work program,” Carson says. “The county has asked if we can advance this project, if possible. (FDOT) may be able to provide additional funding, but that is still being reviewed.”

Hillsborough Public Works Department spokesman Steve Valdez says that the county still is working out cooperative funding with FDOT.

The final segment of the BBD widening project has been funded for design, Valdez says, but the right-of-way acquisition and construction phases remain unfunded.

Valdez explains that more county funds might be available for the final segment, depending upon the bids that are received from contractors for the next segment of BBD widening — from Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms 3.58 miles south to Bearss Ave., also known as Segment C, which is estimated to cost $30 million and which could begin construction as soon as the spring of 2014.

Valdez says that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for that segment should go out late in the fall of this year. Depending upon how much of the cost of construction is paid for by the contractor that is awarded the project, Valdez says that the county could then have more funds available for Segment D.

Valdez also explains that the delay in funding for the final segment of BBD widening has in part been due to a lack of resources and a high demand for road improvement projects throughout the county.

Currently, when driving north on BBD, the recently completed eight lanes of widened roadway from Dona Michelle Dr. north to Pebble Creek Dr. funnel back down to four lanes (two in each direction) approaching Regents Park Dr., similar to the area of BBD under I-75 (from Doña Michelle Dr. to in front of the 7-11 in Tampa Palms), which won’t be widened until the widening of the interstate overpasses is completed, which still is expected to be by the end of the year. Pasco County has widened BBD to six lanes from County Line Rd. to S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel.By Matt Wiley

The previously unfunded final segment of the widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa could begin sometime in 2017.

According to the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), BBD “Segment D,” which will widen the road from four to eight lanes from Pebble Creek Dr. to County Line Rd. and is estimated to cost more than $11 million, is ranked second on the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan and is part of the MPO’s 2014-15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Adopted on September 3, the TIP is used by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to identify where to implement funding for the list of transportation priority projects throughout the county.

Spokesperson Kris Carson explains that FDOT will be using funds from its Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP funds) to help the county pay for the project, matching what Hillsborough will pay with its own local funding.

FDOT has set aside $2,638,918 for fiscal year 2017 to match the county’s amount in that agreement, but the county is then responsible for the rest of the cost, approximately $5.7 million.

“FDOT currently is in the process of creating the ‘tentative’ work program,” Carson says. “The county has asked if we can advance this project, if possible. (FDOT) may be able to provide additional funding, but that is still being reviewed.”

Hillsborough Public Works Department spokesman Steve Valdez says that the county still is working out cooperative funding with FDOT.

The final segment of the BBD widening project has been funded for design, Valdez says, but the right-of-way acquisition and construction phases remain unfunded.

Valdez explains that more county funds might be available for the final segment, depending upon the bids that are received from contractors for the next segment of BBD widening — from Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms 3.58 miles south to Bearss Ave., also known as Segment C, which is estimated to cost $30 million and which could begin construction as soon as the spring of 2014.

Valdez says that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for that segment should go out late in the fall of this year. Depending upon how much of the cost of construction is paid for by the contractor that is awarded the project, Valdez says that the county could then have more funds available for Segment D.

Valdez also explains that the delay in funding for the final segment of BBD widening has in part been due to a lack of resources and a high demand for road improvement projects throughout the county.

Currently, when driving north on BBD, the recently completed eight lanes of widened roadway from Dona Michelle Dr. north to Pebble Creek Dr. funnel back down to four lanes (two in each direction) approaching Regents Park Dr., similar to the area of BBD under I-75 (from Doña Michelle Dr. to in front of the 7-11 in Tampa Palms), which won’t be widened until the widening of the interstate overpasses is completed, which still is expected to be by the end of the year. Pasco County has widened BBD to six lanes from County Line Rd. to S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel.