At the City Commission meeting Monday, Nov. 23, City Manager Mike Herr briefed commissioners on two major Plant City road improvement projects by the Florida Department of Transportation.
Between 2017 and 2021, portions of U.S. Highway 92 will be widened from two lanes to four lanes. Those portions include a stretch in eastern Plant City to County Line Road and areas near Sabal Park, which is by Interstate 75.
FDOT has allotted $3 million dollars for the project as part of a five-year work program, but a start date has not yet been announced.
“It’s a ways out there,” Herr said.
Though Herr and other city staff have focused on bettering roads in Plant City through resurfacing and other infrastructure improvements, the widening of U.S. 92 is not a project that the city is financing. U.S. 92 is part of FDOT’s highway system and will be completely funded by FDOT.
“It’s not something that we had in our five-, 10-, 20-year plan,” Herr said.
The funding for the project comes after FDOT decided against widening segments of State Road 574, U.S. 41 and an area of U.S. 92 between Kingsway and Thonotosassa roads that is outside of Hillsborough County’s Urban Service Area.
The U.S. 92 project is targeted as part of Hillsborough County Planning Commission’s Imagine 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.
Plant City is expected to have 17,000 to 32,000 jobs by 2040, in comparison to 6,000 jobs in 2010. Sabal Park is expected to have 33,000 to 55,000 jobs by 2040, in comparison to 24,000 jobs in 2010. The anticipated growth will have a toll on infrastructure.
The stretch of U.S. 92 in eastern Plant City to County Line Road would be 50% over capacity by 2040 if nothing was done to improve it after 2018.
U.S. 92 near Sabal Park is projected to be 30% over capacity by 2018. If nothing was done to improve it after 2018, it would also be 50% over capacity by 2040.
“That’s a necessary project because U.S. 92 is a major corridor,” Herr said.
The other major road improvement project being funded by FDOT will enhance Collins Street, from Merrick Street to East Laura Street. This section is projected to be 50% over capacity by 2018.
FDOT has allotted $690,000 for the project, which also is part of the five-year plan. The decision to fund the project was announced at a Nov. 10 meeting of the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization board.
Aside from FDOT’s funding for the two major road expansion and improvement projects, the City of Plant City does not have any immediate improvement projects, although it has allotted $1 million from the 2015-16 fiscal year budget for resurfacing Plant City roads. The fiscal year began in October.
“There are no other road improvement projects on the horizon,” Herr said.
In August, city workers constructed an additional right turn lane from Timberlane Drive to Alexander Street to improve traffic flow in the Walden Lake community.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
IN OTHER NEWS
• Commissioners voted to sell 1101 N. Knight St., a property that was condemned in April 2014. By selling, City Manager Mike Herr hopes to recover the costs the city spent on the property. Costs include: $10,118.18 for the condemnation of the property; $3,566 in taxes and title; and $1,894.21 in mowing charges. Herr originally wanted to hire a real estate broker for the property, but Commissioner Mike Sparkman made a motion for the city manager to negotiate with interested buyers and seek an appraisal rather than a realtor. The motion passed.
• The City Commission also approved the purchase of 10 new vehicles for the Plant City Police Department. The $310,000 needed for the purchase will come out of the department’s fund for the 2015-16 fiscal year. The purchase includes: 10 black-and-white Ford Interceptors at $23,807 each; emergency equipment for 10 police vehicles; installation of existing mobile radios; and vinyl cost. The cost per unit is $30,564.62. The vehicles are replacing the department’s older vehicles.
• Following the City Commission meeting, commissioners hosted the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. Commissioners approved the purchase of 602 S. Evers St. for $300,000. Once purchased, the property will be used for further development of the Midtown redevelopment project. The funds for the purchase are coming out of the CRA fund.