Lithia Pinecrest Road Widening Public Meeting Draws Crowds

Tamas Mondovics — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:17:29 +0000

Hundreds attended a recent public meeting concerning the proposed widening of approximately an 11 mile section of Lithia Pinecrest Rd. from its current two travel lane roadway to a six travel lane roadway, affecting the Brandon, Bloomingdale and Lithia communities from S.R. 60 in Brandon to C.R. 39. Local residents who showed up at the Palmetto Club at FishHawk Ranch to hear more extensively about the project had the opportunity to view maps, elevations, a video presentation of the proposed change, as well as talk to county officials on-hand to address questions and concerns. Hillsborough County, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), has been working on preparing a Project Development and Environment (PDE) Study to consider the proposed widening of Lithia Pinecrest Rd., which according to county officials and many local residents, at this point, is simply not sufficient to handle the traffic. “Portions of this roadway currently operate below the county’s adopted minimum acceptable level-of-service standard,” said Hillsborough County Engineering Division Public Works Center Project Manager William Alford. Alford explained that the meeting was strictly about gathering information and that the improvements are intended to accommodate both existing and future traffic volumes as well as enhance motorist safety and reduce emergency response times. But while area residents in general agree that something needs to be done, just as many were unsatisfied due to the lack of information offered by the county. For starters, county officials were faced with complaints that the video presentation of the project seemed to be short on facts. The hot topic that seemed to concern most included the lack of traffic lights planned for the Valrico portion of the project. “I don’t see how they can talk about safety. It is difficult to turn onto Lithia Pinecrest going north now. How is that going to be better trying to cross three lanes and then merge in to three lanes of traffic without a traffic light,” said Gene Will of Valrico, who has lived on Hummingbird Ln. for the past 40 years and is very concerned about being able to turn northbound onto Lithia Pinecrest once the six lane road project is completed. For many residents the small but problematic as well as infamous, Bell Shoals Road and Lithia Pinecrest intersection just a few yards south of Lumsden was the worry of the day-although not on the agenda for the meeting-the proposed road widening plan will include the turning Bell Shoals Road, into a cul-de-sac, cutting traffic flow from it to merge onto Lithia Pinecrest. That is a big problem for Sue Curd with Curd and Associates who feels that the change would choke or at least alter the volume that her business generates. “I will lose business,” she said. Jim Barfield, also a Valrico resident for the past four decades whose wife Jean became Honorary Mayor of Brandon in1996, was disturbed by the fact that the County took this long to decide on thinking about the roads. “The County has been passing out building permits to developers for years. Now they have a problem on their hands and rightly; nobody is happy,” Barfield said. Good, bad or ugly, the meeting seemed to have accomplished its purpose and as expected could and would not please everyone while provided an opportunity to hear or to be heard. One thing is sure. This project will be done and Lithia Pinecrest Road will be a six lane major artery for commuters even if its success remains to be seen. For ore information about the project or for project updates, public comments and concerns please visit www.lpcstudy.com.

Sydney Dover Trails to get Water Reservoir

Jennifer Silverstein — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:42:11 +0000

According to a press release from Hillsborough County, consultants were hired by the Hillsborough County Water Resource Services Department to conduct a land survey and geotechnical study at Sydney Dover Trails Park.
The work is part of the next phase of the county’s project, studying the feasibility of using the “old mine pit” located within the interior of the Sydney Dover Trails Park as a possible reservoir or recharge basin for highly treated reclaimed water. Gita Iranipour, project manager of the Engineering Services Group for Hillsborough County Water Resource Services said, “The site includes a pre-existing 516 acre clay settling area, which, if excavated, could provide approximately 714 million gallons of storage at a depth of six feet.”
The project, referred to as the County’s Water Infrastructure & Supply Enhancement (WISE) Project, was presented and discussed with the public during two public meetings in 2005. As agreed with the community at that time, the park’s use for equestrian purposes would continue to be of the highest priority and be taken into consideration during this survey and geotechnical work. Suggestions from the public were taken during those meetings to improve upon the project and are still welcome.
“The primary use of the park around the reservoir will be by the equestrian community,” Iranipour said. “This project will not change how the park is used. In fact, part of the scope of this project will enhance the park facility.”
Iranipour said the project allows the county to optimize the use of its reclaimed water to achieve conservation of the potable (drinkable) water supplies and provide additional reclaimed water for irrigation during peak periods by saving surplus reclaimed water during non-peak periods of the year.
“Although water use varies from home to home, typical residential water customers in Hillsborough County use around 2,300 gallons of potable water per irrigation cycle, or roughly 10,000 gallons per month, to maintain their landscape under the current one day per week watering restriction,” she said. “Thus, the county can save about one million gallons per month of potable water supplies for every 100 homes provided reclaimed service.”
The work will be conducted during the week, not on the weekends. The activity will use pick-up trucks, ATV buggies, drilling equipment and canoes/boats and will occur along the horse trails, interior “old mine pit” area, and water bodies at the park. Park visitors are encouraged to use caution when in those areas during the weekdays.
For more information, contact Iranipour of the Hillsborough County Water Resource Services Department at 272-5977.

Osprey Observer » Engineering

Lithia Pinecrest Road Widening Public Meeting Draws Crowds

Sydney Dover Trails to get Water Reservoir