Pasco County will host a public workshop Thursday on the proposed $77 million Rangeland Boulevard extension. The 3.4-mile road would run through the Bexley and Land O' Lakes growth corridor.

Workshop set for this week

The workshop runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive, Odessa. The Thursday session is free and open to the public.

The extension would connect Cattle Gap Trail to an existing roundabout at Bexley Village Drive, passing beneath the Suncoast Parkway through a new overpass. The road is intended to ease congestion on State Road 54, the Tampa Bay Beacons reported.

The Pasco County Public Information Office announced the workshop on X on Monday, calling it a discussion of updates to the Rangeland Boulevard route study. The county's official project page also lists the study.

Route plan draws resident concerns

The project has drawn pushback from Bexley residents. At a March 24 County Commission meeting, residents spoke against certain design options for the four-lane roadway, urging commissioners to choose one variation over two others, the Beacons reported in April. A group called Keep Bexley Beautiful has pressed the county to avoid adding a traffic signal or on- and off-ramps at the Suncoast Parkway.

Funding process moves forward

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization added the project to its Transportation Regional Incentive Program priority list at a Sept. 3 meeting. Under that state program, the county would cover half the cost and seek the rest from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Construction could begin in 2029 if design, approvals and funding stay on track, according to the Beacons.