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Gall Plan Divides Zephyrhills

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By LAURA KINSLER

lkinsler@tampatrib.com

Published: December 4, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - City residents and business owners are divided over a state plan to make Gall Boulevard a one-way street.

A workshop hosted by the Florida Department of Transportation drew about 200 Zephyrhills residents and business owners. Half of the 50 people who filed written comments said they oppose the DOT plan.

The DOT design would convert Gall, also known as U.S. 301, into a one-way street for northbound traffic. All southbound traffic would be diverted to Sixth Street, which already is one-way. Both streets eventually would be widened to three lanes.

Nearly a third of the comments, 32 percent, strongly support the DOT plan. Others had specific questions related to their property.
City leaders prefer a plan that would maintain two-way traffic on Gall but transform the busy corridor into a small town main street with wide brick sidewalks, landscaped medians, decorative streetlights and on-street parking. Twenty-six percent, favored the city plan.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the plan at its Monday meeting. DOT needs the city to endorse the project before it will proceed with the formal design and release millions of dollars that are budgeted for right of way acquisition in 2011.

Below is a sampling of the comments:

"Please get this road work done. If the city opposed the plan, where were they in 2000 before all this work was done? I hope this doesn't postpone your job. Can't get in and out of my lot now. By 2015 it will really be a nightmare." - Eileen Plymale
"This is a long-overdue project. We avoid traveling through downtown and 301 due to excess traffic & congestion. This would make a positive impact on the area and the community." - Kathleen and Stuart Scipione.

"This project will destroy small businesses on Gall Blvd. from the day work begins. We own a chain of 350 stores across the country and have seen this scenario many times. If you decide to go forward with this project I will make sure it is tied up in red tape for decades to come." - Marcus Price
"The city preferred alternative is the best way to go! I feel it is much better for all the businesses on 301. The DOT's plan will put a lot of people out of business! I think the DOT should look @ SR 54 from town to Wesley Chapel." - Debra Canero

"I like the project. I just hope it doesn't take another 20 years to complete." - Sheila Hoffer

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 779-4617.

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