Pasco County is considering an agreement with Meritage Homes to widen and resurface a portion of Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. The stretch would run from north of Coyote Way and Sedgeway Boulevard to just north of Old Mill Road. The county estimates the project at about $7.1 million.
Under the proposal, Meritage would design, permit and build the road improvements. The county would then reimburse the developer for eligible expenses. County commissioners have not yet approved the agreement.
The deal is tied to a development approved last year that would allow 106 townhomes on about 18 acres. The plans also include bike lanes, a sidewalk and a multi-use path. The townhomes could be built and sold before the road improvements are finished.
Residents along Old Pasco Road already live with construction. Larry Feldstein moved near Old Pasco Road in 2023 and says there was no construction then. He says a widening project already underway has brought numerous disruptions and noise. “It’s terrible and it just seems like it’s, it’s taking forever,” Feldstein said.
Feldstein says he would rather see the county, not a developer, manage the project. “You can hold the county more responsible for the projects versus a developer,” he said. Not every neighbor opposes the work. One man said he does not mind the construction because the road work is needed for growth in Wesley Chapel.
Originally reported by ABC Action News
