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A total of five public workshops were held in July, October, and
November 2007. Since the time of the public workshops, several
significant courses of action have been determined, as follows:
- On November
8, 2007 at a public hearing regarding the Hillsborough
County Comprehensive Plan, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
voted to remove the Brandon Bypass/Beltway from the Hillsborough
County Comprehensive Plan/Transportation Element maps and
lists.
- On December 4, 2007, the Metropolitan Planning Organization Board
voted to remove the Brandon Bypass/Beltway from the MPO’s year 2025
Long Range Transportation Needs Plan. The MPO also requested
that MPO staff study transportation road and highway needs in South
County during the MPO
LRTP update process during 2008 and 2009.
Based on feedback received during the public outreach efforts for the Plan,
as well as the events that have taken place since the public workshops,
as noted above, the following changes were made to the revised
preliminary recommendations for the Plan:
- The Brandon Bypass/Beltway was
removed due to BOCC and MPO Board
actions in November and December of 2007 as noted above.
- Three
projects inside the urban service area were removed (John Moore
Road extension (#62), Lithia Pinecrest Road extension (#63),
and Valrie Lane Bridge Crossing over the Alafia River (#74).
- All projects located
outside the urban service area were removed. The same year
2050 land use that was used by the Florida Department
of Transportation in previous studies was used for the South County Transportation
Plan. Since
the forecast year was for the year 2050, it was assumed that
at some point in the future, the urban service area boundary may indeed move
further out
and as a result, additional growth would occur outside the
urban service area boundary. However, there are currently no
plans to move the urban
service
area boundary. For the purpose of planning transportation improvements
to accommodate 2050 growth in South County, several of the projects that were
initially recommended were located outside the urban service
area. However,
during the public involvement process, it was determined that
the type of growth in South County driving the need for these transportation
improvements
may need to be considered further.
Since major changes
have been made to the initial preliminary recommendations,
additional analysis is required, as well as
additional public involvement.
As a result of the above, including the BOCC and MPO policy
board actions, the proposed South County Transportation Plan
is no longer being considered.
Therefore, it is the role of the Hillsborough County MPO to investigate
the need for future roads and highways during the MPO’s Highway Needs
Plan Update process. Technical information developed by the County and citizen
comments generated during the development of the South County Transportation
Plan will be made available to the MPO for further consideration. The BOCC
supports the role of the MPO to take the lead in managing this transportation
planning effort.
In addition to the MPO study, the Wimauma Community Plan was approved by
the BOCC in 2007. There are recommendations in the Plan devoted to transportation
issues. During 2008 and 2009, the County will consider implementing plan
recommendations in the County’s Comprehensive Plan as required. More
information will be provided during the year on the status of the Wimauma
Community Plan. For further information, please contact Joe Incorvia, AICP,
Community Planning Manager, at 813-272-5920.
The County will keep you posted of the status of transportation planning
activities for South County via this website and when necessary, via emails
and/or USPS mail to those on the mailing list.
Thank you very much for your interest.
For more information about the South County Transportation Plan, please
contact Ned Baier, AICP,at 813-272-5849.
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