Pasco County Government received preliminary approval of the County’s preferred route from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) which will allow the County to move forward with the next steps in permitting the Ridge Road Extension Project from Ridge Road/DeCubellis Road to U.S. Highway 41.

“I am pleased that we received this preliminary approval for the route,” said Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles. “We have spent a lot of time, money and effort to provide an additional Hurricane Evacuation Route and east-west travel route for Pasco County Citizens. This is a vital route for the County.”

Pasco County’s Washington, D.C. based consultant on the project, Dawson & Associates, will brief the Commissioners on May 9, 2017 on the process and next steps the County will have to take, based on the USACE’s decision to provide preliminary approval of the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative (LEDPA). The consultant will help the County prepare a response to USACE for additional information. (See “Next Steps” on page 2 of this link: http://bit.ly/2qFT50N.)

The County’s plan calls for increasing emergency evacuation capacity from Ridge Road/DeCubellis to U.S. Highway 41 with a connection to the Suncoast Parkway. The Ridge Road Extension requires a permit from USACE under provisions of the Clean Water Act.

“Continuing nearly two decades of work, I’m pleased to report further progress in the regulatory process for the Ridge Road extension project,” said U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis. “Thanks to the efforts of state and local officials, and the people of Pasco County, I’m hopeful this critical public safety project will soon become a reality.”

Read Representative Bilirakis’ full press release here: http://bit.ly/2oUF2rz.

For updates about the Ridge Road Extension Project, citizens can register under the County’s ‘Notify Me’ section by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/2pChgO4. Just enter an email address and look for Ridge Road Extension. Once you sign up, the County will send you emails when new information is released regarding the Ridge Road Extension Project.