The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Department of Army permit in accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the extension of Ridge Road from its present terminus at Moon Lake Road / DeCubellis Road to U.S Highway 41 at its intersection with Connerton Boulevard in Pasco County, Florida. The permit was issues Dec. 20.
The project is to improve east-west roadway capacity and enhance overall mobility within the area bound by State Road 52 to the north, State Road 54 to the south, U.S. Highway 41 to the east and Moon Lake Road / DeCubellis Road, Starkey Boulevard to the west.
The extension will provide additional roadway capacity, improve routing away from coastal hazard areas and improve evacuation times in the event of a hurricane or other major weather-related occurrences, in accordance with State of Florida requirements and the county’s current comprehensive plan.
The project would result in 37.37 acres of permanent wetland impacts and 5.03 acres of temporary wetland impacts and would involve three segments that include Phase I, an interchange with the Suncoast Parkway and Phase II.
Phase I will be located west of the Suncoast Parkway interchange and will consist of a four-lane divided highway, approximately 4.2 miles in length, connecting Moon Lake Road/DeCubellis Road to Suncoast Parkway.
Phase II will be located east of the Suncoast Parkway interchange and will consist of a four-lane divided highway, approximately 3.44 miles in length connecting U.S. Highway 41 to Suncoast Parkway.
The Corps recognizes the high degree of public interest in this project and the lengthy period-of-time this project has been under evaluation. The Corps is confident the decision fully complies with the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Corps of Engineers is neither an advocate nor an opponent of any proposed project, and strives to make fair, reasonable and balanced decisions on permit applications.
Decision Documents and additional information on the Ridge Road Extension project will be available at:
https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Items-of-Interest/