Road Projects Wrapping Up

BROOKSVILLE - The county public works department has released an update on road improvement projects throughout Hernando County, including much-traveled County Line Road.
People traveling County Line Road have been waiting years for that key connector road to be widened its entirety from U.S. 19 to U.S. 41.
A lack of funds and snags between Hernando and Pasco counties in coordinating the improvements have produced endless delays.
However, one project that recently wrapped up was the paving of Suncoast Boulevard, west of Mariner Boulevard - from County Line Road to the entrance of the Rainbow Hills subdivision.
The former limerock road is about 1.5 miles long.
County Line Road is getting widened in certain spots, particularly where developers are being asked to pay their proportionate fair share of the improvements.
County Commissioner David Russell said many of the improvements along County Line Road are being tied to developers' orders.
The work is getting done "slowly but surely," he said.
Other improvements announced by the Department of Public Works:
The left turn lanes into Deerfield Estates subdivision on Spring Hill Drive have been installed and the asphalt overlay laid. That project should be completed in 30 days.
The Croom Road culvert replacement project was finished ahead of schedule. Repairs had forced the closure of Croom Road, between U.S. 41 and McIntyre Road.
The Shoal Line Wingwall project is essentially complete and open to traffic. Work included construction of concrete retaining walls to provide structural stability to the road and to allow water to pass through the culverts.
The county announced earlier that the Barclay Road widening project could be completed by the end of June.
When completed, Barclay Road will have two additional northbound travel lanes with dual left turn lanes at Spring Hill Drive and the Elgin Boulevard-Powell Road intersections.
New traffic signals will be installed at the intersection of Elgin and Powell and the signal at Spring Hill Drive will be modified.
There will also be left turn lanes at Suncoast Villa Apartments and Mansfield Road, an entrance into Pristine Place.
New school beacons will be installed at Powell Middle School to slow down traffic during school hours.