Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Toll Road Us301 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Expressway authority outlines US‑301 toll road options, projects and community plan updates for Riverview
Summary
Representatives from the Tampa‑Hillsborough Expressway Authority and the county planning commission presented modeling showing large travel-time savings from a proposed US‑301 toll/express lanes project and outlined plans for further PD&E, community outreach and land-use coordination in Riverview.
Officials from the Tampa‑Hillsborough Expressway Authority and the county planning commission updated the Hillsborough County Commission Sept. 17 on pre‑PD&E findings for a proposed toll road/express lanes along U.S. Highway 301 and the concurrent Riverview community plan update.
Greg Slater, CEO of the expressway authority, told commissioners that modeling under a 2045 future‑traffic scenario showed a no‑build trip from Big Bend Road to the expressway could take about 77 minutes, while express lanes could reduce that trip to roughly 15 minutes for through trips, by serving longer trips on a limited‑access facility.
“Serving those through trips, very much like the Gandy extension did when we built that, serving those through trips and then giving that local roadway back to business access,” Slater said, describing the intent to balance regional mobility and local access.
The authority reported crash analysis along the corridor identified intersections as focal points for crashes and recorded 25 fatalities (including pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities) over a five‑year period. Slater said early community outreach produced high levels of interest—surveys cited in the presentation showed about 95% support for some relief from congestion—while cautioning that opinions could change as detailed alternatives are developed.
Jay Collins of the county planning commission reviewed the Riverview Community Plan update process, explaining that the plan guides priorities and public engagement but does not itself allocate infrastructure funding or change zoning automatically. He outlined upcoming community meetings and explained that PD&E and federal processes would be needed to secure federal financing and bonding for major infrastructure.
The board received the report; no formal action to authorize construction was taken at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to continue coordination with residents, FDOT and the planning commission as the project advances through PD&E and design phases.
