By Matt Wiley
After months of speculation, negotiation and apparent opposition throughout Pasco County, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officially has pulled the plug on the proposed S.R. 54/S.R. 56 (54/56) elevated toll road plan that would have linked U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey along the 54/56 corridor (just a few miles north of New Tampa).
FDOT officially announced its rejection of the proposal from International Infrastructures Partners (IIP), LLC, and OHL Infrastructures on May 9. IIP submitted an unsolicited bid to FDOT to lease the right of way along the 54/56 corridor to construct a privately owned, operated and maintained toll road that would span more than 33 miles.
“The department (FDOT) was unable to reach an agreement with (IIP) on a framework of financing and various design concepts for the corridor that would be acceptable to all parties and address the concerns of the local community,” says FDOT secretary Ananth Prasad. “In absence of this framework, advancing this project would not make any sense.”
It was announced that negotiations between FDOT and IIP were falling apart on May 7, when a statement from Pasco County administrator Michele Baker was released. “We appreciate that it was FDOT and OHL Infrastructures’ decision not to move forward with the elevated toll road concept,” Baker said. “However, Pasco County will continue to engage the public and move forward with its analyses and studies to determine how to manage future congestion on the S.R. 54/56 corridor.”
Public opposition to the project was made abundantly clear during open meetings in March and through the formation of Pasco Fiasco (PascoFiasco.org?), a group of Pasco County residents that has been publicly petitioning against the project the past few months.
Baker said that the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will need to continue to address the ultimate transportation needs along 54/56 as part of the ongoing update to the MPO’s Long Range (25-year) Transportation Plan, which is due for adoption by December 2014.
“(MPO staff) are focused on the development of our ‘2040 Transportation Needs Plan.’ That was our focus before the conversation was steered to the ‘FDOT unsolicited bid” and it remains our focus today. We recognize that the S.R. 54/56 corridor has and will continue to have worsening congestion.”
Edwards explains that, although FDOT is scheduled to begin widening the section of S.R. 54 between the Suncoast Parkway and U.S. 41 in Land O’Lakes next year, no other improvements to the corridor are scheduled between now and 2020. However, Edwards says the MPO currently is testing improvement alternatives in other areas that could help alleviate some traffic along the S.R. 54/56 corridor, including along County Line Rd., although details of the alternatives were not disclosed.
“Our (the MPO’s) plan spans 20 to 25 years out, but the S.R. 54/56 corridor is problematic for us,” Edwards explains. “There is no viable alternative corridor to take those traffic loads and there is an inability to expand in the existing right of way limits.”
For more information, please visit Mobility2040Pasco.com.
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