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Plan For Sidewalks Near School Questioned

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: November 19, 2008

PORT RICHEY - Even though the federal government is footing the bill, sidewalks for Gulf Highlands Elementary School might need some slight redirection, one county official argues.

The Safe Routes to Schools program would pay for the $298,000 to build wider-than-usual, 8-foot-wide, sidewalks near the school, nestled off Zimmerman Road southeast of S.R. 52 and U.S. 19.

The Florida Safe Routes to Schools program might have up to $9.7 million of federal funds to spend this fiscal year, managed through the Florida Department of Transportation.

During a recent meeting of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization, Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano expressed some reservations about the sidewalks encroaching too much on yards of homes along their routes.

Ordinarily, DOT requires sidewalks to be a minimum of 5 feet wide, officials noted. The Safe Routes program, though, requires wider, 8-foot, walkways.

If a grass buffer strip is included, Mariano said, it might be too much of an imposition on homeowners. He suggested slight modifications.

DOT officials, however, were reluctant to make many changes.

"We're ready to build this thing," said Bob Clifford, planning manager for DOT's District 7 office in Tampa.

"These are highly competitive dollars," Clifford explained. The county could wind up losing the funds if many changes are requested. The sidewalks will be built within the county rights of way, he noted.

The federal act that created the Safe Routes to Schools program only authorized funding through the current 2009 fiscal year.

Residents already have expressed concerns about the existing 4-foot sidewalks, Mariano said.

Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.

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