{"id":4,"date":"2021-04-01T16:47:22","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T21:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fdotd7studies.com\/projects\/sr54-curley-to-morris-bridge\/?page_id=4"},"modified":"2021-04-05T08:55:34","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T13:55:34","slug":"project-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fdotd7studies.com\/projects\/sr54-curley-to-morris-bridge\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Project<\/a>

Click image to view map<\/p><\/div>\n

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)<\/a> conducted a Project Development & Environment (PD&E) study to evaluate alternative improvements along State Road (SR) 54, from CR 577 (Curley Road) to CR 579\/CR 54 (Morris Bridge Road), in southeast Pasco County.<\/p>\n

The study area was located in Wesley Chapel, an unincorporated census designated place. The project is located within Sections 9, 10, 13, 14, & 15, Township 26 S, and Range 20 E and Section 18, Township 26 S, Range 21 E. The total length of the proposed project limits is approximately 4.5 miles. The segment to the west, from I-75 to east of Curley Road (CR 577), is currently programmed by Pasco County for widening to six lanes. That project also includes a connection to the planned Zephyrhills West Bypass Extension.<\/p>\n

A public hearing was held on Thursday, August 14, 2008 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 33425 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, Florida. This PD&E Study was approved when the Federal Highway Administration granted Location and Design Concept Acceptance on July 16, 2009. <\/p>\n

Study Purpose and Need<\/h2>\n

The purpose of the proposed project was to provide a higher capacity and safer facility to better meet future transportation demand in this rapidly developing area of Pasco County. SR 54 is one of the primary east-west facilities within Pasco County, effectively connecting the eastern and western sides of the county. This corridor is also designated as an emergency evacuation route. The PD&E Study also included the consideration of a No-Build Alternative.<\/p>\n

As part of the Department\u2019s Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) process, a Planning Screen Summary Report was published on September 23, 2005 under ETDM #3104, and a Programming Screen Summary Report was published on August 17, 2006 under ETDM #6651 (Reference 1-1). The Federal Highway Administration has determined that the project qualifies as a Type 2 Categorical Exclusion.<\/p>\n

Proposed Improvements<\/h2>\n

The existing SR 54 facility is functionally classified by FDOT as:<\/p>\n