SR 56 Extension Brings Economic Expansion
The Florida Department of Transportation helped spur economic activity and improve safety and active transportation operations north of Tampa.
To serve the rapidly growing area of southeastern Pasco County, located approximately 25 miles north of Tampa, State Road (SR) 56 was extended east between Meadow Pointe Boulevard and US 301. The new $60 million six-mile long, four-lane divided roadway included multimodal aspects such as a ten-foot wide multi-use trail on the south side of the road, a five-foot wide sidewalk on the north side of the road, and seven-foot wide bicycle lanes on the shoulders in each direction.
The SR 56 project used a unique alternative delivery method called “Invitation to Negotiate.” Originally, the contract included the design, permitting and construction of a two-lane SR 56 and the acquisition of 6.1 miles of Right-of-Way (ROW) corridor 250’ wide and all ROW required to build ponds and flood plain compensation areas. However, after the project letting, a Public-Private Partnership was formed as Pasco County and the property owners adjacent to the new roadway agreed to fund the construction of the additional two lanes (for a total of four) throughout the 6.1-mile length of the project.
The project scope included close to 1.1 million cubic yards of regular excavation, 856,000 cubic yards of embankment, 61,000 tons of asphalt, 17 stormwater management facilities and flood plain compensation sites, 12.2 miles of asphalt pedestrian trail and sidewalks, 10 box culverts, and two bridges. Since opening to traffic in July of 2019, the corridor has seen a whirlwind of activity. Forty permits for commercial and residential development have been issued with more being processed daily. Major developments in the area are helping provide jobs and economic opportunities for Pasco County.
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