Hillsborough County plans to widen Van Dyke Road
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Rendering: Courtesy of Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County could soon widen Van Dyke Road.
Why it matters: Van Dyke averages up to 26,500 vehicles daily, and the project aims to ease congestion on a key stretch of the corridor.
Catch up quick: Hillsborough County and the Florida Department of Transportation are wrapping up a project development and environmental study, with final approval expected this fall.
- The project covers 3.47 miles of Van Dyke — from Gunn Highway to east of Whirley Road — and would widen the two-lane, undivided road into a four-lane, divided road with a raised median.
Driving the news: County officials are weighing two options: a standard roundabout at the intersection of Lake Shore Road or a "peanut" design near Lake Reflections Boulevard and Grace Family Church.
- The intersection at Lake Carlton Drive will remain in place, along with the existing ramp intersections to the Suncoast Parkway, according to the project's website.
The price tag: The project is estimated to cost $138 million.
The big picture: Van Dyke is already popular among commuters, but traffic is expected to balloon to as many as 33,500 vehicles a day by 2048.
- Between 2017 and 2021, there were over 280 crashes on the road, resulting in 108 injuries, per the project's website. That crash rate is 93% higher than the statewide rate for similar roads.
- The roundabout is intended to prevent fatal crashes and better protect pedestrians, with multi-use trails planned on both sides that would link to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and Northdale Lake Park Trail.
What's next: A timeline for construction has yet to be determined.