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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District Seven, conducted a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to determine the engineering and environmental effects of the proposed improvement to State Road 50 (SR 50) [Cortez Boulevard] from west of I-75 to US 301 (SR 35/Treiman Boulevard) in Hernando County, Florida.
This preliminary engineering report (PER) contains detailed engineering information that fulfills the purpose and need for SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard) from west of I-75 to US 301 (SR 35/Treiman Boulevard), within Hernando County, Florida. The purpose of this PER was to provide technical engineering information to the Design Project Manager, Design Team, Permit Coordinator, and right-of-way (ROW) professionals regarding the Build Alternative. This PER supplements information provided in the Type 2 Categorical Exclusion1 (Type 2 CE) prepared for this study.
Study Purpose and Need
The need for improvements to SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard) in the study area is based on several factors including regional connectivity, future population and employment growth, projected travel demands, and consistency with Hernando County’s Comprehensive Plan and the Hernando County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The 2035 No-Build Planning traffic operational analyses conducted for the purpose of this study indicated that this portion of SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard) will operate at failing Level of Service (LOS) conditions. Additionally, this portion of SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard) is an evacuation route.
Proposed Improvements
SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard) is proposed to be widened from four to six lanes from west of I-75 to US 98 (SR 700/Treiman Boulevard) and from two to four lanes from US 98 (SR 700/Treiman Boulevard) to US 301 (SR 35/Treiman Boulevard) within Hernando County, Florida (Roadway ID 08 070 000). Continuous sidewalks will be also provided throughout the project limits in both directions. The study limits extend from west of Interstate 75 (I-75) easterly to US 301 (SR 35/Treiman Boulevard). The I-75 ramp terminal intersections and approaching segments (length 0.9 miles [mi]) were exempted out of the study since those improvements were analyzed as part of the I-75 Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study, Work Program Item Segment (WPIS) Number: 411014-1, and will be constructed first under a separate project. The total length of the project (including the I-75 interchange area) is approximately 6.3 mi.