Video: McCabe Road To Close At Curley Road Beginning Nov. 9

SAN ANTONIO, FL — As part of a multiphase project to improve east-west traffic congestion in Pasco County, McCabe Road will close for construction work between Curley Road (County Road 577) and Wirt Road beginning the morning of Monday, Nov. 9, and will remain closed until March.

This work is part of the $81 million project to widen and realign State Road 52 from Uradco Place (east of Interstate 75) to Fort King Road.

The closure is necessary to reconstruct this section of McCabe Road, which will become part of the future new alignment of State Road 52.

Drivers will use Curley, Prospect and Wirt roads to detour around the closed section of McCabe Road. Detour signs will be posted to guide motorists along the route.

Due to the high growth that East Pasco County is experiencing, the Florida Department of Transportation, at the urging of the Pasco County Commission, is undertaking four road projects encompassing 22 miles that are designed to ease east-west traffic congestion.

Williams Cemetery Road is closed east of Wichers Road and McCabe Road. The closure is anticipated to remain in place until this spring.

Daily lane closures and flagging operations are likely throughout the construction area on numerous roads including State Road 52, Curley Road, McCabe Road, Prospect Road and Clinton Avenue.

Between Uradco Place and Bayou Branch Canal, the existing road will be widened to a four-lane divided roadway.

East of Bayou Branch Canal, the new alignment of a four-lane divided State Road 52 will be built south of the existing State Road 52, tying into Clinton Avenue. Clinton Avenue between County Road 579 and Fort King Road will be widened to a four-lane divided road as well.

Clinton Avenue between Pasadena Avenue and U.S. 301 will also become the new State Road 52. The section of existing State Road 52 between Bayou Branch Canal and U.S. 301 will be designated County Road 52 after the construction of the new State Road 52 is complete.

Construction began in November 2019 and is expected to finish in the summer of 2024

The first stage of the overall project begin in 2016 and was completed in June 2019 when 1.4 miles of Schrader Highway (State Road 52) between Bellamy Brothers Boulevard (County Road 581) and Old Pasco Road was widened to a four-lane divided highway with medians. The $13.4 million improvements included a new traffic signal at Old Pasco Road; replaced traffic signal at Bellamy Brothers Boulevard; construction of a 12-foot-wide multi-use path along the north side of the road; and a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side.

Additionally, the FDOT is widening 3.8 miles of State Road 52 to six lanes from the Suncoast Parkway to east of U.S. 41. A 12-foot-wide multi-use trail will be built along the north side of State Road 52.

The project also includes widening about one mile of U.S. 41 approaching the State Road 52 intersection.

The $49.7 million, which began in September 2019 is expected to be completed in 2023.

Finally, State Road 52 will be widened to four lanes between U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, about 8.5 miles of roadway.

To minimize right of way acquisition costs and impacts to the Conner Preserve, the widening will generally occur to the north of the existing roadway. A 12-foot-wide multi-use trail will be built along the north side of the road.

The project is currently under design. Right of way acquisition will begin in 2021 and construction is anticipated to begin in 2025. Design costs are projected to be $6.8 million and right of way cost about $17.8 million.

The closure is necessary to reconstruct this section of McCabe Road, which will become part of the future new alignment of State Road 52.