Thousands of orange and white barrels now line U.S. 98 for 17 miles between north Lakeland and U.S. 301 south of Dade City, with bulldozers and tractors clearing away vegetation and laying down dirt.
It is part of a four-year, $270 million project to widen and realign the heavily traveled two-lane roadway.
Maps of the Polk County portion of the project can be found here, while a map of the Pasco County portion can be found here and here.
Two-part project: The Florida Department of Transportation outlined its plan for the Polk County portion of the two-part project on Tuesday evening during a public meeting at Lake Crago Park in Lakeland. Three sets of aerial maps outlined both segments. There were also tabletop simulations of roundabouts with toy cars for people to practice their merging skills.
The Polk portion begins where U.S. 98 curves to the west, just past West Socrum Loop Road, and stops at the county line. The second part picks up from there and ends where U.S. 98 dead—ends into U.S. 301 just south of Dade City.
Changes: One change already in effect is a new 50-mph speed limit.
The design of the Polk portion includes:
- A four-lane divided highway.
- Two roundabouts, one at Big Cypress Boulevard and another at State Road 471.
- Shared-use paths on both sides of the highway from Hall Road/West Socrum Loop Road to just north of Rock Ridge Road.
- Drainage improvements.
- Wildlife crossings under the roadway.
- Pedestrian crosswalks at the Rock Ridge and Big Cypress intersections.
The Pasco portion involves a realignment just before U.S. 301, curving the roadway to intersect with Clinton Avenue. It also includes:
- Four new roundabouts, including one at a new Clinton intersection.
- Three new signalized intersections.
- Twin bridges over the CSX railroad and old Lakeland Highway.
- A 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of the road and a 10-foot shared-use path on the west side that will connect to the Withlacoochee State Trail on U.S. 301.
A personal stake in the project: Franklin and Carolyn Hobbs listened as Steven Bronzell, a senior project manager at the Burgess & Niple engineering and architecture firm, explained what will happen with the roadway in front of the property the Hobbs family has owned since 1962.
“The intent is a new driveway to the property line,” Bronzell said, adding that they would be notified when work would begin to ensure that they will still have access to their home. “You’re gonna get paid.”
Bronzell encouraged the couple, who are in their mid-60s, to email FDOT so there is a paper trail of any questions or concerns they may have.
Rural concerns: The Hobbs’ home sits on 5 acres. It has been there so long, the property contains a borrow pit used when U.S. 98 was first paved.
Carolyn Hobbs, who recently retired from Publix, said she’s sad to see the region’s growth arrive at her doorstep.
“I just don’t want them to change it,” she said. “I don’t want development. People live out there because it is what it is. And the animals have no place to go.”
"Do it right." Franklin Hobbs said he remembers helping to clear the land when he was a boy.
“We’re poor, and that’s why we moved out there,” said Hobbs, who has worked with heavy equipment, welding and electrical throughout his career. “It really doesn’t bother me as long as they do it right. They have the skills, they have the knowledge and they have the money to do it right.”
But he said there is already an issue with an unrelated Duke Energy substation that was built next to their property. He explained that a pipe placed there has split the water into two streams so it runs onto their property. He had to consult with a lawyer in Orlando to get it fixed.
“I just want to finish out my life and live peacefully,” he said.
Kimberly C. Moore is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com.
