Hillsborough TPO approves TIP amendments to advance PD&E for Branch Forbes and McIntosh road widenings

The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization on April 9 unanimously approved amendments to its Transportation Improvement Program to add project development and environmental (PD&E) work for two road-widening projects in eastern Hillsborough County.

Elizabeth Watkins, TPO staff, told the board the amendments add PD&E phases for McIntosh Road and Branch Forbes Road so the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) can complete PD&E, targeted to finish later this year. “The rest of the phases — complete design right away and construction — remain unfunded for both projects,” Watkins said.

The two corridors are currently two-lane, undivided roadways. The preferred typical section developed during PD&E calls for four lanes divided with shared-use paths on both sides. Watkins estimated total project costs at about $80,000,000 for McIntosh Road and $65,000,000 for Branch Forbes Road; the PD&E phase for each project was added to the TIP at about $1,500,000 apiece and is funded with Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) federal dollars.

The board heard that both the Technical Advisory Committee and the Citizens Advisory Committee recommended the amendments. Rick Fernandez, chair of the CAC, said the CAC discussed project need, traffic impacts, the width between lane and curb, how the shared-use paths would connect to existing facilities and whether more time was needed to gather information; the CAC recommended approval by a 7–2 vote. TPO staff said some CAC questions could not be answered at the meeting because the information was not available to presenters.

TPO staff also summarized written and social-media public comments received ahead of the meeting. Several commentators urged the TPO to prioritize transit and alternatives to driving; one commenter, Matthew Swain, wrote that road widenings “exacerbate traffic” and represented a poor investment of taxpayer dollars, staff reported.

Council member Clendenin moved to add the two TIP amendments; Commissioner Myers seconded. The board approved the motion by roll call, 15–0. Roll-call votes recorded yes from: Ross (Chair), Wostel, Cohen, Myers, Bowles, Miller, Clendenin, Hertek, Kelton, Gray, Klug, Stevens, Slater, Hartfield and Joseph.

Board members and staff emphasized that only the PD&E phases were now funded; design and construction require additional funding decisions by FDOT and future programming. TPO staff said the amendments preserve planning consistency so FDOT can complete PD&E work and continue project development.

The approved TIP changes will be reflected in the TPO’s programing documents; the board did not direct any additional staff action at the meeting and no construction or right-of-way funding was programmed as part of this vote.

The two projects will continue through FDOT’s PD&E process, which staff said is aimed at improving roadway capacity, safety and system linkage between US 92 and I‑4 in the project area.