PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA

INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

 

 

TO:          Honorable Chairman and                      DATE:  7/8/02                       FILE:  PMA02-029

               Members of the Board of

               County Commissioners

                                                                         SUBJECT:  Route Study - Zephyrhills West

THRU:      Bipin Parikh, P.E.                                                   Bypass Extension

               Assistant County Administrator                                C.R. 577 to C.R. 579

               (Development Services)

 

FROM:     James C. Widman, P.E.                      REFERENCES:      W.O. No. C-4295.00 & C-6442.00

               Engineering Services Director                                             Pitman-Hartenstein &

                                                                                                      Associates, Inc.

                                                                                                      Commission Districts 1 & 2

 

 

It is recommended that the data herein presented be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners.

 

DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS:

 

The Board executed a general agreement for professional services with Pitman-Hartenstein & Associates, Inc., for Task Order No. EDO00-003 on July 11, 2000, providing for:  a) a route study to determine alternative alignments for the Zephyrhills West Bypass Extension from S.R. 54 at C.R. 577 (Curley Road) to C.R. 54/Eiland Boulevard near C.R. 579/Handcart Road, including public workshop in 320 days; and b) survey, design, permitting, right-of-way maps, and documents for construction of the planned improvements in 520 days.  Change Order No. 1 increased the number of alternative alignments to be evaluated and provided a time extension for 250 calendar days, bringing the route study total to 570 calendar days.  The original contract amount totaled $1,181,945.00, with $217,000.00 for the route study and $964,945.00 for plans.  The increased cost to Pasco County was $80,052.00, bringing the route study to $297,052.00, and the contract total to $1,261,997.00.  The first chargeable day under this contract was July 31, 2000.  Contract time for the route study ended on February 20, 2002, but the consultant was delayed by County negotiations with property owners. Those negotiations with New River Development resulted in a substantial reduction of right-of-way to be purchased as evidenced in the project cost analysis contained in the route study. Change Order No. 2 extended the route study by 124 days to accomplish those negotiations, bringing that total to 694 days.  Contract time for the route study ended on June 18, 2002, at which time the study was presented to the Board. The Board opted to hold a Public Hearing, scheduled for July 16, 2002.

 

An earlier draft report identifying three alignments was presented in a workshop held April 22, 2002 to inform the public and gain comments and input. Pertinent comments from that workshop were incorporated into the final study.

 

Proposed alternative alignments have been analyzed based on safety, long-range planning, costs, and environmental/property impacts, and are briefly described as follows:

 

Alignment A – This alignment would depart from the S.R. 54 alignment at the present intersection with C.R. 577/Curley Road with a flatter curve to the left than presently exists, acquiring additional rights-of-way along the east side of C.R. 577 to a point just south of Rubin Barnes Road, where it would curve right to proceed easterly toward the end of Rubin Barnes Road.  Then it curves to the left, runs approximately 5,000 feet northeasterly before curving to the right again to run easterly.  Upon reaching the middle of Section 1, it begins a curve to the right running southeasterly.  Then it takes a curve to the left, bringing the alignment to an easterly direction along the north side of Pasco County’s Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant, crossing Handcart Road and connecting with C.R. 54/Eiland Boulevard.

 

Alignment B – This alignment begins the same as Alignment A and continues to the end of Rubin Barnes Road.  Where Alignment A turns left, Alignment B turns right, then left to run easterly along the south edge of Sections 2 and 1.  At the middle of Section 1, it curves left to join Alignment A just west of the wastewater treatment plant.

 

Alignment C – This alignment would depart from the S.R. 54 alignment approximately 1,700 feet east of C.R. 577/Curley Road with a curve to the left, passing through the northern half of the New River DRI along a route acceptable to its owners, exiting nearly 1,000 feet south of the north line of Section 1 in a curve to the left.  After a brief tangent in the northeasterly direction, it curves to the right to join Alignments A & B just west of the wastewater treatment plant.

 

ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS:

 

Some of the alternatives available to the Board in this matter are as follows:

 

1.       Approval of Alignment C will permit our consultant to proceed with the engineering design work, rights-of-way maps, property acquisition, and ultimately construction.

 

2.       Deny approval and allow traffic congestion to continue to develop along the existing network.  This is the no-project or no-build alternative.  Costing zero dollars, it offers no solution to any existing or future problems.

 

3.       Direct staff as to other action desired by the Board.

 

RECOMMENDATION AND FUNDING:

 

The Engineering Services Department recommends that the Board approve Alternative No. 1 and the selection of Alignment C for Zephyrhills West Bypass Extension.

 

No funding is required at this time.

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

1.       Location Map

2.       Final Route Study for Zephyrhills West Bypass Extension

 

 

JCW/GTR/JLP/ELM/ph

 

APPROVED AGENDA ITEM FOR

 

DATE: _____________________

 

BY:  _______________________