~~Pasco County will begin work immediately on the four-lane, east-west connection~~

U.S. Army Corps Issues Ridge Road Extension Project Permit

The long-anticipated Ridge Road Extension will soon be a reality.  Pasco County Engineering Services is pleased to announce the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued a permit for work to begin on the four-lane roadway that will connect Ridge Road to the Suncoast Parkway and eventually to U.S. 41, providing a critically-needed additional east-west thoroughfare in Pasco County.

“In a time of unprecedented growth, the importance of this project cannot be overstated,” said Pasco County Board Chairman Mike Moore.  “The Ridge Road Extension has the potential to save lives during an emergency evacuation while providing enhanced connectivity and accessibility for our residents and visitors in their daily travel.”

Pasco County and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise applied for the USACE permit that allows for the new, 8.7 miles, four-lane, median-divided roadway.  Phase one construction will begin immediately, connecting the existing Ridge Road to the Suncoast Parkway where an overpass has already been constructed.  Phase two, scheduled for late 2022, will continue the connection to U.S. 41 at the intersection of Connerton Boulevard, with funding provided by private development mobility fees.

“Our team has taken great care with the design and environmental considerations of this project,” said County Administrator Dan Biles.  “Extensive redesign and planning have reduced the roadway footprint, minimized wetland impacts and increased our conservation holdings in the area.”

Sixteen bridges, including 15 upland wildlife crossings designed to maintain habitat continuity, reduce the wetland impact within the Serenova Preserve by 83 percent and the wetland impact of the entire project by 34 percent when compared with typical roadway construction.

In addition to improving east-west roadway capacity, traffic models indicate the Ridge Road Extension will reduce Pasco County hurricane evacuation times by nearly 30 percent.

For more information about the Ridge Road Extension Project, please visit bit.ly/RidgeRoadProject.