Fits and starts near the mall

By CHUIN-WEI YAP, Times Staff Writer
Published November 25, 2007

Traffic on SR 54 west of I-75 has some drivers frustrated as they make their way past the entrance to the Grove, a recently opened mall around mid-day on Wednesday 11/21/2007.
	[Mike Pease | Times]

WESLEY CHAPEL - In the season of giving, there is only one thing that runs higher than the shopping tab, and it's your temper while sitting in traffic.

Here's an example: 1 p.m. on the day before Thanksgiving.

The Lane Ranger is ranging through the lanes outside the Grove at Wesley Chapel, the new mall at County Road 54 and Interstate 75.

The term "ranging" is not quite accurate here.

The Lane Ranger is stopping and starting a lot in the swirl of dirt excavation and traffic cones on CR 54 outside the mall.

In the single eastbound lane, cars stretch for a mile from the interstate to Old Pasco Road. Everyone's either trying to head to the mall or the highway, but they're not about to get there any time soon.

It's not so bad the other way, though trying to catch the first green light after taking a left off I-75 is still an expletive-laden experience.

Which suggests that things are tougher for the good folks who live in Wesley Chapel than it is for people who are visiting the area.

The Lane Ranger got tired of starting and stopping, so he stopped and started to talk to some of these residents.

Here's Julie Brown. Lived in Wesley Chapel for 25 years, worked in the area for 19:

"They probably should have waited to open the mall after they do the roads. But you know the almighty buck. They want to catch the shopping season. They paid more for the construction of that mall than they did to get the road done."

The Grove at Wesley Chapel: $175-million.

CR 54 widening: $27-million.

Peace of Steve Sullivan's driving mind: priceless.

"It gets bad right in front of Oakley," said Sullivan, who lives off Old Pasco Road. "Going northbound on the interstate from CR 54, the turn light takes forever."

"And then you got that U-turn," said Courtney Bunner, who's shopping at the Grove with Sullivan.

What U-turn?

Forget about trying to change direction on that stretch of CR 54. Not unless you want to meet an army of backhoes and third fingers.

Sullivan is stoic.

"Maybe once they get it all done, it won't be so bad," he mused.

Then he remembered: "Oh, but with the new mall coming in ... " he drifts off.

He means the Shops at Wiregrass, about 2 miles south. Unless he meant Cypress Creek Town Center, also in the same area. Between them, it's nearly 2-million more square feet of new stores.

Bipin Parikh, who heads development services at Pasco County, said the CR 54 widening is expected to be completed in March.

He sympathizes with Wesley Chapel but says the grief is just part of construction.

"There are so many unanticipated problems," he said.

But, hey, it's the season of giving thanks.

"Thank God there was no rain this year," he said. "You have no idea how much problem that causes."

The Lane Ranger can be reached at (813) 909-4613 or cyap@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 24, 2007, 19:28:53]