County outlines phased funding plan for Van Dyke and Lithia Pinecrest widening projects

Hillsborough County engineering staff on April 2 presented updated cost estimates and a multi-year funding plan for two major road-widening projects: Van Dyke Road and Lithia Pinecrest Road.

The board received the reports and voted 7-0 to accept staff recommendations.

Nut graf: The presentations updated earlier cost estimates and proposed a phased, "just-in-time" funding approach that uses mobility-fee dollars in the short term for voluntary right-of-way acquisitions and the county's upcoming Community Investment Tax (CIT) as the primary funding source starting in fiscal year 2027. Staff also outlined next procedural steps, including PD&E updates, public workshops and procurement of design consultants.

Van Dyke Road: updated costs and near-term plan

Josh Belotti, director of Engineering and Operations, told commissioners that a PD&E update under way revised prior estimates and showed a remaining budget need of $45,000,000 for right-of-way acquisition and $60,000,000 for construction. Staff explained the project would complete PD&E and preliminary design this fiscal year, hold a final public meeting targeted for June, and begin voluntary land acquisitions in FY26 using mobility-fee funds from the applicable benefit zone. The board and staff emphasized a desire to avoid having large sums sit idle in the CIP; staff said mid-year budget amendments are available if timely land-acquisition opportunities appear.

Lithia Pinecrest Road: scope, estimate and phasing

For the Lithia Pinecrest project, staff provided a planning-stage cost estimate of about $260,000,000 for the full seven-mile widening. The proposed sequencing breaks the project into segments: a stand-alone intersection improvement at Bloomingdale and Pearson (initial work), an initial 2.5-mile widening segment, followed by northern and southern segments and a final northern leg to Lumsden Road. Staff proposed using mobility fees in FY26 to fund the initial intersection work and design for the first segment, with CIT funding to support the more substantial right-of-way and construction phases starting in FY27.

Why the approach

Staff said the phased "just-in-time" approach aims to align budget authority with near-term project milestones so funds are available when needed and not held unused in the CIP for several years. Commissioners asked for vigilance so early acquisition opportunities are not missed and confirmed that staff can return with mid-year amendments if necessary.

Next steps

- Van Dyke: complete PD&E update and 60% design; hold final public meeting (target June 2025); initiate voluntary ROW acquisitions in FY26. - Lithia Pinecrest: finalize PD&E and project segmentation in a public workshop; begin procurement of a design firm for the first widening phase; construct initial intersection improvements at Bloomingdale and Pearson.

Quotable

"We're now showing a remaining budget need of $45,000,000 for land acquisition and 60,000,000 for the construction," Josh Belotti said about Van Dyke.

Local impact and risk

Both projects are high-cost, multi-year undertakings with timeline and cost uncertainty driven by right-of-way negotiations and market conditions. Staff described the implementation risk as medium and said design-stage estimates will be refined as procurement and PD&E work advance.

Sources: Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners meeting transcript, April 2, 2025. The board voted 7-0 to accept the staff reports.