Community Corner
Can't Wait? Opening Moved Up for Gornto Lake Road Extension
While signs say you can expect completion in the fall, that deadline is likely to be beat, according to Hillsborough County spokesperson Steve Valdez.
That holiday traffic you hate near the Westfield Brandon shopping mall? That short-cut you seek off State Road 60 in Brandon and Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview? Good news for you, then, from county officials concerning the Gornto Lake Road extension under construction from Brandon Boulevard (State Road 60) to Brandon Town Center Boulevard.
"We are happy to say it's going to open up early," said Hillsborough County spokesperson Steve Valdez. "If Mother Nature holds up for us this next month- and a-half, we'll have it opened up the first or second week of August."
When the dust is cleared on the Gornto Lake Road extension, motorists will have a straight shot from Brandon Boulevard (State Road 60) to Lumsden Road, then on to Bloomingdale Avenue and to U.S. Highway 301, using the Duncan Road/Krycul Avenue segment.
"It's nice to have another north-south roadway that goes so far, for motorists to take," Valdez said. "This will be a new north-south connector that's been badly needed."
At a cost of $3.95-million, Hillsborough County officials are constructing 0.738 miles of a four-lane divided roadway with turn lanes, "from south of Brandon Boulevard to approximatley 800 feet south of [Brandon] Town Center Bouleveard."
Construction started in October and was expected to take "365 calendar days."
"I think we're going to be able to beat it," Valdez said, noting that construction goes quicker without having to worry about a significant traffic adjustment. "It's night-and-day building a new road without having to reroute existing traffic."
In an earlier Brandon Patch report, we asked readers what they thought about the road extension. "I think the Gornto Lake [Road extension] will be a GREAT help to mall access. Whoever had the idea to start out using only one entrance to the mall was not too bright," wrote Debbie Shelton.
"I agree that this was a necessary addition to Brandon's map," wrote Liz Campbell. "I sincerely hope that it will not have any ill effects due to the loss of wetlands."
Added Jen Frost: "I am hoping this extension helps alleviate some of the congestion. Poor planning in the past has led to inconsistent and incongruent roadway infrastructure all throughout Brandon. I like that this extension has large pedestrian walkways, also. It should be a nice addition to the Brandon Parkway paths. I guess we'll see in the fall."
Again, that deadline is likely to be beat. Valdez said motorists can expect a ribbon-cutting for the extension in the "first or second week in August."
- See Gornto Lake Road Extension - Hillsborough County Government for project details and an aerial map of the work under way with tags denoting existing development, wetlands, ponds and mitigation areas.
- See County To Extend Gornto Lake Road To Relieve Traffic Near Brandon Mall (ABC Action News)
"Due to the increase of residential and commercial development into the Brandon area, there was a need for an additional north-south corridor between State Road 60 and Lumsden Road. Constructing the Gornto Lake Road extension (from south of Brandon Boulevard (State Road 60) to approximately 800 feet of the Brandon Town Center) would improve traffic flow in the area and help relieve congestion at the interstate access and the shopping mall."
Noted in the project description above is reference to the "Brandon Town Center," which was the original name of the shopping mall until it was acquired by Westfield Brandon.
What are your views of the Gornto Lake Road extension? Have you been waiting for years to use it? Was it necessary to improve your quaility of life in the Greater Brandon area? Do you have any concerns? Let us know in the comment box below.
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