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2.2 miles of Bell Shoals Road will be 4 lanes

The developer of the Lake Hutto project unveils plans, which get a mixed reaction.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET
Published August 3, 2007

It could be two years before construction crews begin widening Bell Shoals Road between Bloomingdale Avenue and Boyette Road.

But nearby residents got their first glimpse this week of changes planned for the 2.2-mile stretch of road.

It will be four lanes, with a grassy median and several new stoplights. Preliminary designs show the speed limit at 45 mph.

Tuesday's meeting came two months after Newland Communities announced its $50-million purchase of the 1,129-acre Lake Hutto project, just south of the intersection of Bell Shoals and FishHawk Boulevard.

As part of the deal, Newland also pledged to pay for $72-million in road improvements.

That means the San Diego developer will foot the bill for design and construction of the 2.2-mile stretch of Bell Shoals Road. County officials estimate that will cost $30-million.

Hillsborough County will pay to acquire the needed right of way, project manager Reg Alford said.

He told nearby residents that construction would likely start after January 2009 and finish in July 2010.

After Alford's presentation, about 75 people looked at large aerial photos of the road in a FishHawk Ranch conference room.

They peppered engineers with questions about street lights, turn lanes and bike paths.

And some of them questioned the timing of the project.

"It's not right. The only reason they're doing this is because the developer gave them money," said Melanie Turtletaub, a Realtor who lives near Bell Shoals Road in Valrico. "We all know that they're not going to build any new homes out there until the market comes back."

A few feet away, Nathan Pedigo asked engineers about drainage issues and took detailed notes: Nightmare traffic. Should not disturb businesses but may disturb some homes.

But the 13-year-old Boy Scout doesn't live near Bell Shoals Road. He attended Tuesday's public meeting - his first one - to earn badges for community involvement and communications.

Several other members of Troop 686 joined him.

Pedigo said he was worried about the impact that construction could have on his Burns Middle School bus route.

"Going through there during that period, there's going to be a lot of traffic," he said.

Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 813 661-2454.

[Last modified August 2, 2007, 07:24:46]