The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted unanimously at the March 8, 2022 meeting to apply for a grant to fix a congested area of County Line Road. The Rebuilding American Infrastructure With Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant comes from the $1.3 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure plan passed by the Federal Government.
The total project cost is estimated at $23,045,120. If awarded, the County will receive $18,436,096 to fund the project. The project has a 20% match, expected to be shared with Pasco County. According to documents, “Hernando County and Pasco County have partnered to provide $4,609,024 towards the non-federal cost-share portion of the budget,” however, Commissioner John Allocco asked that Pasco County residents implore their commissioners to participate in the project with Hernando County.
The specific goal for this grant is to improve approximately 2.6 miles of County Line Road
from Cobblestone Drive to Spring Time Street. A portion of the funds is to be used for the design and right-of-way acquisition. Currently, the county is in the process of assessing the right of way.
Named the “Hernando County Multilane and Enhanced Mobility Project,” when complete, this portion of County Line will be a four-lane divided roadway, with a sidewalk, shared-use path, and street lighting. The roadwork will include utility relocation and signal coordination both above and underground.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) acknowledges the necessity of the improvements. In a letter to US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, FDOT says the project will provide “access to important regional social and economic activity as well as evacuation routes for residents and visitors in times of emergency.”
