Volume 21 Issue 15
Inside: Skating Under The Stars In Flatwoods Park!
July 20, 2013
See Neighborhood Magazine!
The Direct-Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWS MAGAZINE IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Easton Park • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch • Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • The Hammocks • West Meadows WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Bridgewater • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • The Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Watergrass • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg
I-75 Bridge Work Above BBD More Than 500 Days Ahead Of Schedule By Matt Wiley Although it may be holding up the completion of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. widening from Pebble Creek Blvd. in New Tampa south to Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms, the I-75 widening project between Fowler Ave. and S.R. 56 actually is ahead of schedule. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 spokesman John McShaffrey says that the $95-million project, which Prince Contracting, LLC, began in October 2011 to widen the 11.4-mile section of the interstate from four lanes to six lanes — and eight lanes near the interchanges — is cruising right along. “The whole project is well ahead of schedule,” McShaffrey explains. “If you go by (Prince’s) schedule, they’re more than 500 days ahead. It looks very likely that they are going to finish that job early, depending on how much rain we get.” And, part of that project includes the new, widened overpasses above BBD, which could now be open to traffic in both directions in late November to early December, McShaffrey says. “After that happens, (Prince) will take
the temporary bridge out and do all of the BBD widening underneath,” McShaffrey explains. “There’s a lot that can’t be done (for the widening of BBD) right now because of the location of the support structures for the existing temporary bridge.” However, he admits, the I-75 widening north of S.R. 56 is not moving nearly as quickly.
I-75 Work Creeps Along Between S.R.s 54 & 56
The contractor currently widening a separate portion of I-75 — from S.R. 56 to north of S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel — is racking up quite a bill, as the company is being charged each day until the project, which already is about six months behind schedule, is completed. The $22.8-million project to widen the 4.3-mile stretch of I-75 from four lanes to eight, which began in March 2011, will not be completed until around September, says John McShaffrey, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). “The contractor is having difficulties with the project,” McShaffrey says of Better Roads, Inc. “(Better Roads, Inc.) is making progress on the project, but not to probably
anybody’s satisfaction.” McShaffrey says that a lack of resources in both personnel and equipment is to blame for the delay and that Better Roads is being assessed financial penalties of $5,809.88 per day while the project is still being built, since running out of the original number of contracted construction days. The fines would have begun in April, but the number of contract days had already been extended to June 1. Following the completion of the northbound I-75 overpass, which is “Those financial penalexpeted to be done by early December, this temporary bridge over ties will accrue until the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. will be removed so the BBD widenproject is done,” he exing underneath the bridge can finally commence. plains. “Even though they are working six days a week, they’re not work- lowed number of days to 703. McShaffrey also says that more days ing with (large) enough crews to get the projcould still be added to make up for changed ect done in a timely manner.” When Better Roads was awarded the working conditions and additional work, but project, the initial contract granted the com- at our press time, Better Roads already could pany 565 days to complete the widening, but, be assessed for 41 days of penalties. The total in May, 138 additional days (which were ne- financial penalty will not be determined until gotiated for in the contract) were added to the job is done. McShaffrey says that when Better Roads make up for weather delays, holidays and other time extensions, extending the total al-
See “I-75 Widening” on page 8.
Body Of New Tampa Man, Recovered From S.C. River, Coming Home
NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE
U.S. Rep. Ross Comes To Town, Zoning Change In Primrose Circle, Textbook Thief Caught In Tampa Palms, Lots Of Local Business Features & More!
Bucs’ Josh Freeman Teaches Fundamentals At Football Camp, Skaters & Bikers In Flatwoods After Dark, La Berry Is La Delicious & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes!
Pages 1-36
Pages 37-52
ECRWSS
NEWS, BUSINESS, SPORTS & EDUCATION UPDATES
Crews searched for as long as possible, but were unable to locate his body the first day and struggled against the weather and unpredictable water levels along the river to recover him during the next 16 days. Hill was initially located on June 20, but crews were not able to safely retrieve him that day and strong currents moved him down river. Due to continuous high water levels and dangerous conditions, Hill was not relocated until July 3 and wasn’t finally retrieved until two days later. During the span of the search, 36 agencies and organizations contributed nearly 6,000 hours to aid in the recovery See “Rafter Found” on page 8. PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA FL PERMIT 2801
Also Inside This Issue!
“We believe that high flows on the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River freed Mr. Hill's body so that he could begin his journey home to his family,” said USFS spokeswoman Michelle Burnett during a July 5 press conference. “Since this effort began, our main objective has been to safely recover Mr. Hill. Every day, Mr. Hill's family has been foremost in our minds and our hearts go out to Mr. Hill's wife and his children. We hope that our efforts will finally bring some closure to the Hill family.” USFS reports that on June 19, Hill was taking part in a guided whitewater rafting trip put on by Southeastern Expeditions, a company that provides tours of the river, when he and three others fell off of the raft. All of the rafters were wearing helmets and life jackets, but Hill was not found and is believed to have gotten caught in a rapid, where he drowned.
Postal Customer
The body of a New Tampa man has finally been recovered, following a whitewater rafting accident and 17-day search of the Chattooga Wild & Scenic River in South Carolina. Thomas P. Hill, 51, a Hunter’s Green resident and a Sherwin-Williams Tampa district sales manager, fell out of a raft during a whitewater rafting trip on the
Chattooga on June 19 in Oconee County near Long Creek, SC, which is located along the state’s border with Georgia. Hill had been in Helen, GA, to attend a Sherwin-Williams sales conference. According to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Hill’s body was recovered around 11:30 a.m. on July 5, following more than two weeks of failed attempts to retrieve and return his body to his wife Linda and four children in New Tampa.
Dated Material Please Rush!
By Matt Wiley