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Causeway Relief In Works

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By TOM BRENNAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

PALM RIVER - Construction crews are ahead of schedule as they work to relieve frustrating congestion along Causeway Boulevard between U.S. 301 and U.S. 41.

Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said contractor Prince Construction Co. of Palmetto is working fast enough on the long-awaited project to earn a bonus for early completion of work that will improve traffic flow at Causeway's intersections with those two highways.

"We've been very happy with the progress the contractor is making," Carson said. She said the contractor is "striving to finish the intersections of U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 by late September, and as of right now, is on schedule to do just that."

The state is spending about $42.7 million widening the 3.2-mile stretch of Causeway from two to four lanes and adding medians, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, street lights and enhanced landscaping.

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

Hillsborough County also is adding water and sewer lines along Causeway as part of the widening project.

The work under way includes removing old asphalt at U.S. 41 and replacing it with concrete. New traffic lights have been installed at U.S. 41 and U.S. 301.

Carson said the contractor likely will close the railroad crossing east of U.S. 41 next month, once a schedule can be worked out with CSX Transportation.

Prince Construction has closed Maydell Drive from Causeway about 400 feet north to work on a retention pond nearby. That stretch of Maydell will be closed through May. Traffic is being detoured along 66th Street to 24th Avenue.

Motorists will continue to dodge and detour around intermittent drainage work areas as utility crews move pipes and wires.

Carson said crews are working before and after the morning and afternoon commuter rushes to avoid backing up traffic on the heavily traveled commuter corridor.

Work began in January and is expected to take 2 1/2 years.

Residents and business owners have lobbied for decades to get the road widened. Causeway shrinks from six lanes at U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 to two through Palm River. Motorists said they were forced to compete with trucks from the Port of Tampa and commuters from the suburbs in eastern and southern Hillsborough County.

Supporters of the road widening project also said the lack of extra lanes and public services crippled the area's economic development.

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

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