LAND O' LAKES, Fla. (WFTS) — A Pasco County road extension, 20 years in the making, is facing growing opposition from residents who say they do not want a four-lane road cutting through their neighborhoods.
Dozens of residents turned out Thursday night for a public workshop, where county officials listened to concerns about the proposed Rangeland Boulevard extension and its potential impact on nearby communities.
Residents in the Bexley community in Land O' Lakes are among those speaking out against the project.
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"We've petitioned our neighbors. We've sent letters to the commissioners. We've shown up at the meetings. And really I feel like we get poo-pooed. They really don't want to hear from us," said Beth Block.
Pasco County officials are considering extending Rangeland Boulevard in Odessa with a four-lane road that would pass subdivisions, cross over the Suncoast Expressway and connect with the Bexley subdivision.
Residents say they were originally told the extension would be a local urban roadway, but some believe the project is turning into what they call a regional highway.
"I see accidents. I see noise. I see people not being able to walk their dog. Walk, run, or bicycle in the neighborhoods," said Mircea Cercega.
Rangeland Boulevard currently ends before reaching the Suncoast Expressway. County officials are considering different options for extending it, while some residents say they would prefer that nothing be built at all.
"I don't want a highway in my backyard. I don't want a highway in my development where we already have trouble walking across the street in a 25 mph zone, and now you are going to add trucks," said Block.
Pasco County officials say the Rangeland Boulevard extension has been part of the county's comprehensive plan for 20 years and is needed to alleviate traffic on State Road 54 and provide more access to communities along the route.
Some residents acknowledge another road is needed but say they want it designed to handle local traffic instead of becoming a major route through their neighborhoods.
"In a way, it's overdue because I think the county has overbuilt the area without putting the necessary infrastructure, including local roads," said Cercega.
The three extension alternatives under consideration would include an overpass over the Suncoast Expressway, along with bike paths and sidewalks.
The project is estimated to cost about $150 million.
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