Neighborhoods find getting street funds is a lonely road

With so many crowded roads and only so much money to go around, many critical roads won't see improvements for some time.

By JANE BOKUN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 18, 2001

TOWN 'N COUNTRY -- When it comes to road improvements, there is a will, but Hillsborough County officials might need more cash to find a way.

Public works director Bernardo Garcia said the County Commission has set aside $10- million for transportation-related projects including additional street signs and road widenings in 2002. But the money simply is not enough to fix key, critical roads.

Garcia spoke at Monday night's meeting of the Town 'N Country Alliance, where members were encouraged to discuss their traffic concerns.

"So far we've identified Gunn Highway, from Ehrlich Road to S Mobley Road near Sickles High School, as the main thoroughfare that can be slated for widening," Garcia said.

For that area, he said, $7-million in federal funding can be added to the $2-million that the county has for road widening. That money will widen the existing four-lane road to six lanes.

But without the remaining $1.5-million, officials do not expect work to begin until 2006.

"The board will vote on whether to approve those additional funds for Gunn Highway's road widening in August of this year," Garcia said.

The Gunn Highway project is competing with Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, which needs roughly $69-million in repairs between Bearss Avenue and the Pasco County line; and Boyette Road, which needs $25-million of work. "We simply don't have the money."

Bayport West Homeowners president Larry Brown called the news "unfortunate" and suggested that "more money should have been set aside from Community Investment Tax funds for road repair."

While the county deliberates over multimillion-dollar projects, motorists in Town 'N Country say they are concerned about traffic problems closer to home.

Norm Wetzel of Bay Crest Park said he is worried about a Home Depot store, planned for Hillsborough Avenue and Memorial Highway, where a K-mart and a Kash 'N Karry used to sit.

"I've been trying to communicate with county government since last November," he said. "The new store will bring more traffic to an already overly congested area. They've approved zoning for a bigger store that will be different from those that were there before."

Joyce Smith, who is chairwoman of the alliance, said a light should be installed at Barry and Benjamin roads to accommodate office park traffic. "I brought it up at the town meeting and they just ignored me," she said.

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