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Forward Pinellas approves $4 million FDOT drainage addition at Bayshore Boulevard and Curlew Road
Summary
Forward Pinellas on Nov. 12 approved an FDOT-requested amendment to the Transportation Improvement Program to add about $4 million for enlarged drainage structures at the Bayshore/Curlew intersection; FDOT said the change followed updated storm modeling and will be paid with state funds.
Forward Pinellas voted unanimously on Nov. 12 to approve an amendment to the county Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to add roughly $4,000,000 in FDOT funding for drainage upgrades at the Bayshore Boulevard and Curlew Road intersection.
Ryan Hutton, transportation planner for Forward Pinellas, told the board the amendment covers drainage improvements discovered during final design, including a concrete box culvert to increase capacity. “This amendment is for FDOT’s intersection improvement project at Bayshore Boulevard and Curlew Road,” Hutton said, describing the work as intended to improve traffic flow and safety while addressing drainage shortfalls identified during design.
Board members asked whether the cost change represented a designer error or a market-driven escalation. Secretary Hall (FDOT) said the change stemmed from updated hydrologic modeling (the meeting record references SwiftMud/SwiftMud model updates) that required upsizing pipes and structures, not an engineering error. “This was... having to increase the size of the pipes for the drainage,” Hall said. FDOT staff said the state will cover the additional cost rather than local funds.
The board moved and approved the amendment on a roll‑call vote. Meeting minutes record the vote as unanimous.
Next steps: Forward Pinellas staff will update the TIP and transmit the amendment to FDOT and FHWA for inclusion in the statewide program and post updates to the Forward Pinellas website.
