Cuts may stall traffic plan

The state budget shortfall could block efforts to accelerate central Pasco road projects.

By DAVID DeCAMP, Times Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007

DADE CITY - Gov. Charlie Crist's proposed budget cuts could slow an attempt to ease traffic clogs in central Pasco County.

As part of Crist's plan to solve a state government revenue shortfall of $1.5-billion, the governor proposed trimming $225-million in transportation spending. That money includes funding that counties can match to build roads.

With traffic snarled on State Road 54 and thousands more houses coming, Pasco County officials wanted to accelerate planning and purchases of right of way to widen the highway between Morris Bridge and Curley roads. That would ease travel between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

But speeding up the expansion counts on money from the fund Crist proposed to cut.

"It's almost a sad state of affairs. Transportation is such a vital importance to the state," County Commissioner Ann Hildebrand said during Thursday's meeting of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization, a group that plans for the region's transportation needs.

For motorists and residents, losing the state money would mean the difference between waiting till 2016 for construction or getting it started a few years earlier, said Doug Uden, Pasco's metropolitan planning chief.

To expand the road sooner, the county had decided to use $1.6-million in sales tax revenue to match an equal amount from the state. That money could pay for design in 2009 instead of 2011.

The county also decided to tap $5-million to be paid by developers of the massive Wiregrass Ranch for road improvements to accommodate the 12,500-home development. The county would apply for a matching $5-million from the state fund. Then right of way could be purchased earlier too.

The last estimate in 2004 pegs the total cost of the widening at $42-million, but an ongoing study should pinpoint the price tag better, Uden said.

State Department of Transportation officials said it's too soon to be worried. No decisions have been made about how to balance state spending.

"We're not getting overly excited. We don't know what's going to shake out," said Bob Clifford, the DOT's regional planning director.

The SR 54 project is east of more congested areas near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, but still bad, said Michele Baker, Pasco's chief assistant county administrator. Other projects are supposed to reduce traffic pressures in central Pasco too.

Pasco officials, who will press local lawmakers to protect the state transportation funding, hope no other projects are affected.

The county and state already have deals to use the same type of transportation funding for widening State Road 54 between U.S. 41 and Interstate 75, as well as a bridge at SR 54 and the interstate. Due west, there's a deal for the expansion of SR 54 from Curley Road to Bruce B. Downs. The Ridge Road extension in west Pasco also counts.

All told, that's at least $55-million of state money that local officials count on to help projects.

Baker, who spearheads Pasco's road planning, said DOT officials have indicated they will honor those agreements.

David DeCamp can be reached at ddecamp@sptimes.com or 800 333-7505, ext. 6232

Fast facts

Studies coming

Studies on whether it's worthwhile to collect tolls on State Road 54 or the Ridge Road extension should be done by the end of October, said officials with Florida's Turnpike Enterprise and the state transportation department. If charging tolls makes sense, toll booths could go up along SR 54 in central Pasco and an elevated new route on Ridge. But it's going to take officials until July 2008 to finish reviewing the idea of charging tolls along Interstate 75.

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 21:43:42]