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Causeway Widening Delayed

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By TOM BRENNAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 8, 2007

Updated: 09/06/2007 05:44 pm

PALM RIVER - The long-awaited widening of Causeway Boulevard won't begin until next year.

Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation said construction will begin at the same time as Causeway's intersections with U.S. 301 and U.S. 41 and 50th Street shortly after New Year's. Officials said that's because upcoming holidays will cause so much construction down time.

'With all the holidays coming up, we thought it best to wait until early 2008,' said Kris Carson, FDOT spokeswoman.

It was more bad news for residents and business owners who have seen the schedule pushed back numerous times.

'We've been put off on this project for close to 55 years. I sure hope it isn't put off again,' said Gary Ansulewicz, president of the Palm River Economic Development Council and a local business owner.

Residents say state officials have been promising to widen Causeway between U.S. 301 and U.S. 41 since the 1950s, but the project kept being pushed to the back burner.

They say the road is especially dangerous where it narrows to two lanes, a common through road for heavy truck traffic from the Port of Tampa. Palm River residents blame the inadequate road for the area's economic stagnation while new suburbs to the east and south have prospered.

The acrimony spilled over at a public meeting in 2001, when residents renewed their lobbying efforts. After working with Hillsborough County and state officials, residents were promised a year later that the work would begin in 2006. The county loaned the state $10 million to move the project along.

But only one company bid on the work in 2006, and the cost was double what the state had budgeted. So another year was lost as engineers tweaked their plans to entice more bidders.

The new bids were opened in May, and again there was only one bidder. But this time, the price tag was within budget, and the company had a good history with FDOT.

Prince Contracting Co. of Palmetto won the contract, offering to widen the 3.2-mile stretch of Causeway from two to for lanes for about $42.7 million and to do the work in about 2 1/2 years.

Ansulewicz said he doesn't understand why it took so long between opening the bid and starting work.

'If I ran my business that way, I would be out of business,' he said.

Carson said the state had to give Prince enough time to marshal equipment and crews.

'We know the community is anxious to get the project started, and so is the FDOT,' she said.

Plans call for Causeway to have two lanes in each direction separated by a median, as well as bicycle lanes, sidewalks, street lights and enhanced landscaping.

Additional left- and right-turn lanes will be added at the intersections of U.S. 41, 78th Street and U.S. 301, and a new traffic light will be installed at Maydell Drive.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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