CITRUS PARK - Area residents pored over project maps, plans and queried officials about a proposal to extend Citrus Park Drive at a town hall forum on Monday (Sept. 10).
More than 10 years after the original proposal, after setbacks and recession delays, the county has secured the necessary $65 million in funding to complete the project.
The four lane divided extension will run 2.73 miles, from Sheldon Road to Countryway Boulevard, and include new sidewalks, buffered bike lanes, landscaped medians, storm water drainage improvements and improved school and neighborhood connectivity.
The extension will also facilitate a new connection for cyclists with its new bike lanes connecting to the Tampa Bay Trail and Pinellas Trails as well.
"As a biker, I like the fact that they're opening up more bike lanes and what seem to be safer bike lanes, and the fact that they're going to give us another route to cut across this area because Mobley Road is just the single lane each day and it gets pretty dicey." said Eddy Pena, the Northton Groves Home Owners Association president.
An upgraded traffic signal system will be installed at the entryway for Deer Park Elementary and at the Fawn Ridge Boulevard intersection.
The main goal of the extension will be to accommodate current and future traffic demands in the areas of Westchase and Citrus Park, while alleviating some of the traffic from Linebaugh Avenue and South Mobley Road.
While parents of children attending Deer Park Elementary vocalized excitement about the easier drop-off and pick-up patterns for the elementary school, the biggest concern comes from the dangers a heavily used road can bring, even with the extra "buffer" spaces for pedestrians and cyclists.
"A big issue is the kid's safety," said Thomas Rawls, Hillsborough County Project Manager. "The posted speed limit is going to be 40, so it's just a matter of enforcement and doing whatever we need to do to keep people going 40 and we should be safe."
Rawls also pointed out that the new bike lanes will be buffered which means they're wider than usual, 6 feet wide between bike lane and sidewalk, and include a designated buffer space that separates the bicycle lane from the adjacent motor vehicle lane.
"I have mixed feelings about the extension," said Leane LaPorte, a Mandolin resident. "It's definitely going to add convenience and alleviate some of the traffic on Linebaugh but I have concerns about safety because right now our kids bike to school and you're putting in a road where people are going to speed - it's just inevitable.
"I'm also concerned with the lack of connection. They're not connecting Citrus Park Drive to Linebaugh and it's not connected at Montague which would really help with some of the congestion that's going to happen on Countryway."
Construction for the extension is expected to begin early 2019, with completion projected for summer 2021. As residents express concerns for just how much disruption they can expect from construction in their backyards, the county is working closely with neighborhoods and homes located on Citrus Park Drive to minimize any issues.
"The neat part about this project is the personality of it," Rawls said. "We really worked a lot with the HOAs in the area and met with most of the boards, so the details at each of the entrances on the road will reflect the neighborhoods."
Residents are invited to submit comments or concerns to Steve Valdez, Citizen Engagement for Hillsborough County, via email at valdezs@hillsboroughcounty.org. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 24.
Contact Jennifer Lima at hillsnews@tampabay.com.