Tampa. Provided to the MPO Board is a copy of the draft SCTPA minutes.
Additionally, attached is the 2050 Regional Long Range Transportation Plan overview
in which several aspects of the Hernando-Citrus MPO are highlighted. He noted that
the liaison and alternate liaison were not able to attend the meeting. Councilman Tom
Craig from the City of Inverness offered to attend; but was not able to because he is not
named as an alternate for the SCTPA and therefore, had no voting rights. Out of the 6
MPOs, Hernando-Citrus was the only MPO without voting representation.
· In order to prevent having no voting representation at future meetings, Mr. Esposito
asked the member jurisdictions to consider adding all of their board/council members
as additional or 2nd alternates for the SCTPA and the MPO Board. This will help
ensure that a quorum exists at the meetings for voting on action items. If there is no
quorum, and a deadline is impending, an emergency meeting would have to be called.
Mr. Esposito noted that the MPO Board is only having meetings when there is business
to conduct to meet State and Federal deadlines. Mr. Esposito was asked to contact the
Chairs of the member jurisdictions to request additional alternates be appointed to the
MPO Board, SCTPA, and the MPOAC. The MPO Board will then ratify any
appointments.
· SR50 (Cortez Boulevard) widening from Cobb Road to west of Buck Hope Road will be
-2-52-01>). The intersection at Cobb Road and Jefferson Street should be fully open to
traffic June 6, 2025, weather permitting.
· US 98/SR 50 Repaving from south of Jasmine Drive to Mondon Hill Road is currently
underway with an estimated completion of later 2025 to early 2026
(<https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/994/447948-1-52-01>). US98/SR 50 Repaving
from Spring Lake Highway/Mondon Hill Road to Lockhart Road is scheduled to be
complete mid-August.
· Suncoast Parkway 2 Phase 3A (from CR 486 to CR 495) construction to start June
2025. The last phase (3B from CR 495 to US 19) begins construction in the fourth
quarter of 2025.
· US 41 widening from SR 44 to Withlacoochee Trail Bridge is scheduled for completion
in the summer of 2025 (<https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/446/257165-3-52-01>).
· US 41 widening from S of Withlacoochee Trail Bridge to N or Sportsman Point
construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026
(<https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/473/257165-4-52-01>).
· Gospel Island and SR44 - the poles for the traffic signal are up (resurfacing is
underway and estimated completion is spring of 2026, FDOT Project #448040-1-52-01
& 443981-1-52-01).
· There will be an Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO)
conference in Providence, Rhode Island on September 15-19, 2025. This conference
provides the opportunity to meet with representatives throughout the country on
transportation planning. The anticipated cost to attend the conference (registration
$820, hotel, air travel, and meals) is approximately $3,200. Mr. Esposito provided the
MPO Board with a copy of the draft agenda with items highlighted. He indicated that
he would need Board approval for travel out-of-state. Vice Chair Hawkins requested
that future travel requests be included as Consent Agenda items.
Motion: A motion was made by Commissioner Champion to approve out-of-state
travel on September 15 through 19, 2025, for Mr. Esposito to attend the AMPO
conference in Providence, Rhode Island. The motion was seconded by Commissioner
