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City Close On Funds To Fix Up U.S. 301

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 27, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - Cracked asphalt, garbage and yellow patches of waist-high grass.

It's not a pretty sight, especially for a community concerned about its image.

But that's what motorists see entering Zephyrhills from U.S. 301.

For years, city officials have wrestled with plans to improve the look of the forlorn stretch of highway to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

The biggest obstacle has been the medians along the highway, also known as Gall Boulevard. They are maintained by the state Department of Transportation, not city workers. State workers cut the grass and pick up trash, but not as often as the city would like.

Now, though, the "gateway to the city" could be getting a much-needed face-lift.
City officials are working on a beautification project to add palm trees and landscaping along the highway. They've applied for a $150,000 DOT grant to pay for it.

Todd Vande Berg, the city's director of development services, said the project will focus on a block or two north and south of the highway from Fifth Avenue, or State Route 54.

He said the DOT's approval of the grant is basically a done deal.

"The money is available," Vande Berg said. "We have it in writing that it's approved."

The city is working with its landscaping architect, Kimley-Horn and Associates, on the project's design. The architect already has presented proposals to the city.
Vande Berg said the city will not have to pay for the improvements.

"There won't be anything coming out of the city's budget," he said.

Mayor Cliff McDuffie said he thinks the beautification project is long overdue.

"Anything that will make the community more attractive is welcomed," he said. "Right now, there's no shrubbery or flowers out there, and this would really look pleasing."

A few months back, the council had talked about taking over the highway maintenance from the DOT, which had pledged $11,000 to help cover the added costs.

The proposal, offered by Councilman Clyde Bracknell, failed because of a lack of support.

Highway beautification projects are often a mixed blessing for cities that have tried them.

In west Pasco, Port Richey officials were awarded a $175,000 DOT grant last year to add trees and landscaping to a derelict section of U.S. 19.

The city chipped in $60,000 from its community redevelopment fund for the project.

But the grant didn't account for long-term maintenance costs, and city officials soon found themselves having to spend more money than planned.

The terms of the DOT grant required them to maintain the medians for at least 90 days.

Watering proved the biggest challenge.

Initially, the city had studied putting an irrigation pipe under the highway, pumping irrigation water to the medians for the flower beds. That proved to be too costly.

So manual irrigation - driving a water truck along the medians - was the only solution.

At one point, a pumper truck from the city's fire department was watering the beds.

In retrospect, some council members have publicly questioned whether the project was worth the cost of irrigation and paying city workers to take care of the median beds.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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