County to consider starting Fort Hamer Road extension sooner

With the opening date of the new North County high school approximately 26 months away, a Manatee County developer wants to work with the county to expedite the construction of a nearby roadway.

During Thursday’s Capital Improvement Program workshop with commissioners, Pat Neal, with North County Partnership, asked the Manatee County Commission to consider moving up the Fort Hamer Road extension. Currently, the $13 million project is funded in fiscal year 2022 for design with the remainder coming in 2023 and 2024.

Calling it the “missing link,” Neal requested that engineering and construction of the Fort Hamer Road extension, which would extend from U.S. 301 to Erie Road, be moved up to 2018 and 2019.

“A little birdy told me that we need north-south roads in this county,” Neal said Thursday. “We think this is an important link.”

According to the CIP, which is a $1.2 billion effort over the next five years, the Fort Hamer Road extension is needed due to growth. Almost 35 percent of the CIP is for transportation improvements.

The 2018-22 CIP document calls for “construction of a new four-lane divided roadway with closed drainage, sidewalks on both sides and bicycle lanes.” It also calls for the “continuation of north/south thoroughfare connection to provide anticipated capacity needs associated with new growth and improve traffic circulation in Parrish area.”

Since Thursday was a work session and details still need to be worked out, the commission did not take action, but Neal said that within six months of moving the project up in the CIP, he would bring a proposal back to the commission, including a budget estimate.

“We think this is a unique benefit for Manatee County,” Neal said, adding that the project cost “comes in substantially lower” by advancing the completion date.

Thursday was the first time County Administrator Ed Hunzeker heard the presentation, adding that there should also be a discussion between the commission and Manatee County School Board.

“There are some details to work out,” Hunzeker said. “This is going to take some time for us to work out the details. If you want to move this project forward, we are ready to go to work and make it happen sooner. ... I think you need a detailed business plan as to how this will all happen.”

It is yet to be determined how this would effect other projects currently funded in the five-year CIP, Hunzeker said. This CIP is “a little different” because of the new revenue source which is the half-cent sales tax, Hunzeker said.

“We will talk about the implications to the balance of CIP,” he said.

With some historic families living in the area, it could be difficult acquiring the necessary right of way, Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace said.

“There’s some old families that it will be going through,” she said. “That is a problem.”

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said she would not have an issue moving this forward.

“It is absolutely something that we need as far as north-south roads,” she said. “(Interstate) 75 needs some relief. I think we should look at possibly moving this up.”

While commissioners were enthusiastic about the idea of moving the construction up, Neal said there’s not equivalent enthusiasm over at the school board.

“That’s why we came over here to help them with enthusiasm,” Neal said. “We need to get them on the team.”

There needs to be some participation from the school board, Baugh said.

“They are the ones that wanted this location so they need to be interested,” she said.

This could be a “win-win” for Manatee County residents, Commission Chairwoman Betsy Benac said.

“We want to have safe routes to schools,” she said. “We need to work together with the school board to try to come up with solutions.”

A $4.9 million pricetag for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office’s new helicopter, which will be funded with the sales tax revenue and is expected to go before the county commission Tuesday for approval, drew a lot of discussion among commissioners Thursday.

“Price is not the only driver in the acceptance of the helicopter,” said Neil Unruh, the sheriff’s office comptroller.

Baugh asked whether this was a “Ferrari helicopter type.”

“I’m a little concerned because every time I keep turning around it keeps going up,” she said.

On Thursday evening, the commission had a public hearing on the recommended fiscal year 2018 net budget of $615 million, which does not include Port Manatee.

This story was originally published June 15, 2017 at 4:31 PM with the headline "County to consider starting Fort Hamer Road extension sooner."