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US 301 is a four-lane divided north-south arterial that connects the cities of Zephyrhills and Dade City. The US 301 roadway provides an important connection to the regional and statewide transportation network linking the Tampa Bay region to the remainder of the state and nation. US 301 is identified as a regional roadway by the West Central Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO’s) Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC) and is included in the Regional Roadway Network. US 301 is designated as an emergency evacuation route and currently operates as an existing truck route. The 2035 Cost Affordable Roadway Plan of the Pasco County MPO Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) identifies the need to widen US 301 to six lanes from south of CR 54 to Kossik Road and from US 98 to CR 52A (Clinton Avenue). This PD&E study evaluated the physical, social, cultural, environmental and economic impacts of providing alternative improvements to US 301 that include, but are not limited to, a No-Build alternative, Build alternatives that consider the widening of US 301 to six lanes from south of CR 54 to US 98 Bypass, Transportation System Management (TSM) improvements and median modifications to improve safety and mobility throughout the limits of the PD&E study.

Study Purpose and Need

Motorists in Pasco County are faced with increased traffic congestion and delays as demand from the County’s growth continues to place pressure on the existing transportation system. To assess the effects of continued growth along US 301, the FDOT initiated a PD&E Study that evaluated the impacts of providing alternative roadway capacity improvements to the facility. The purpose of this PD&E Study was to develop a plan to accommodate future growth in an organized manner and to maintain mobility along a regionally significant transportation corridor. The need for improvements along US 301 within the study limits was developed based on the evaluation of the following criteria:

• Existing and future quality of traffic operations along US 301 assuming the existing roadway conditions.
• traffic safety conditions for the time period between the years 2003 and 2007,
• consistency with local government plans, and
• projected future socioeconomic growth of Pasco County.

Proposed Improvements

As a result of the Alternatives Public Workshop and Public Hearing, environmental studies, and interagency coordination, the Recommended Alternative has been selected. The documented findings of the Recommended Build Alternative are listed as follows:

• Implementing the Recommended Build Alternative will cause no business or residential relocations.
• No potential wetland impacts are associated with the Recommended Build Alternative.
• No National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligible or NRHP-listed cultural resources will be affected as a result of implementing the Recommended Build Alternative.
• No adverse effects to threatened and endangered species are anticipated as a result of implementing the Recommended Build Alternative.
• The estimated total project cost, which includes preliminary engineering (PE) design, right-of-way (ROW) acquisition, construction, and construction engineering inspection (CEI) for the Recommended Build Alternative, is $43.03 million.

Note: This PDSR includes suggested locations for storm water management facilities. The locations are tentative and subject to change. The locations were evaluated for impact identification purposes only. Accordingly, these locations do not necessarily represent the final location for such a proposed use. During the project’s final design phase, alternative storm water management facility locations would be evaluated in order to identify the preferred storm water management facility site for each drainage basin within the design project limits.