NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A high-anticipated road project in New Port Richey is one step closer to being completed.
The Ridge Road extension aims "to improve east-west roadway capacity and enhance overall mobility" in the Pasco County area, according to the county website. It's a project that has been in the works since the 90s and is set to be completed by December 2025.
The road extension will also provide routes that steer clear of coastal hazard areas in hopes of improving hurricane evacuation clearance times when needed in the future. As its website explains, Pasco County previously had only two east/west evacuation routes, State Roads 54 and 52, which are often closed due to accidents, flooding, and police activity.
Phase 1 of the Ridge Road extension project is a 4.2-mile, uninterrupted section of roadway that runs from Moon Lake to the Suncoast Parkway. All four lanes of this section of the project are expected to open to the public in about a year.
You can learn more about the Ridge Road extension project on the Pasco County website.