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On June 15, representatives from the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce will present a report to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) asking them to look into the widening of Lithia Pinecrest Rd. At a recent meeting, residents and Chamber members met with Commissioner Ronda Storms and county representatives to discuss the details of the potential widening.
Storms told residents at the meeting that it was unlikely, even with the best of luck, that the road would be widened within 10 years, but she also offered the approximately 50 residents in attendance tips on the best ways to resolve the road’s traffic problems.
"There really is a bad problem with the traffic along Lithia Pinecrest," Storms stated. "I believe it should be widened, but we are not looking at something that is a short term fix."
Storms added that the first step should be to start lobbying the commissioners in order to get them on board with the widening.
"You need to get the issue into the front of their minds, so that when it comes in front of them they will want to help you," she explained, adding that it would also help to give them a way of funding the expansion that did not rely totally on county money. "Contact Planning and Growth Management (PGM) and find out about new developments coming to the area. If you have information, you have power."
PGM representative, Ned Baier, also answered residents' questions about the best way to solve the traffic problems without causing more expansion in the area.
"It is important that you don't overbuild the roadway," said Baier. "If you widen too much you attract traffic from other areas, a six or eight lane roadway would turn Lithia Pinecrest into something you don't want."
Valrico resident Kevin Dorsey, who is working with VOICE, Valrico Organizations Interested in Controlled Expansion, stated his concerns that the widening of Lithia Pinecrest would lead to even more commercial expansion in the area.
"I don't want this to end up like S.R. 60," said Dorsey. "We want improved roads, but we also don't want to increase destination traffic to this area."
Chairman of the Chamber board of directors, George May, encouraged residents interested in improving the traffic on Lithia Pinecrest to contact the Chamber for more information on further meetings by e-mailing lithiapinecrest@brandonchamber.com or calling 689-1221. Additionally, Storms offered to answer any questions about the process. She can be reached at 272-5740 or Stormsr@hillsboroughcounty.org.
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