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Shoveling Money

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THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: December 20, 2008

Widening the County Line Road that runs between Pasco and Hernando counties would, at least initially, mainly benefit Hernando residents. So Pasco County officials haven't fallen over themselves helping their Hernando counterparts get money to widen the congested two-lane east-west route.

As Hernando Today reported this week, however, Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher has told his Hernando opposite number, David Hamilton, Pasco will put the County Line Road widening project on its "wish list" of projects Pasco would like to see get funding help from President-elect Barack Obama's multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package. Gallagher, in turn, wants the project on Hernando's wish list. He also wants assurances Hernando will have the County Line Road project in "shovel-ready" shape, which means it could get quickly under way if the feds pony up money for it.

We're just thinking out loud, but maybe Pasco County's decision to back County Line Road widening is a hedge against the possibility the eastward extension of Ridge Road - from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway, and later U.S. 41 - might never emerge from the regulatory quagmire in which it has wallowed for years.

A four-lane County Line Road from U.S. 19 to U.S. 41 would be another east-west evacuation route. It would, however, be far from the middle portion of West Pasco, which the Ridge Road Extension is meant to serve.

Just a thought.

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