County: Thanks For Your Patience, Boyette Road Motorists

With two bridges to build, and one to tear down, work to widen Boyette Road has been difficult at best, and the community "has been so patient, and so good, we're asking you to hold on a little longer," said Hillsborough County spokesperson Steve Valdez, in a telephone interview June 19.

That patience will continue to be tested; the four-year project should be wrapping up around "this time next year," Valdez said.

"It's been very difficult to build because of so many utility relocations that had to be done as well as building two bridges and demolishing one old bridge," he added. "It's quite a significant project."

You don't have to tell commuters on Boyette, Bell Shoals and McMullen roads that things are messy for the morning and afternoon commutes. And, for that matter, the times in between.

Under construction is Phase III of the Boyette Road widening project.

• Phase I, from U.S. Highway 301 to Balm Riverview Road, was complete in 2004.
• Phase II, from Balm Riverview Road to McMullen Road, was completed in May 2009. 
• Phase III, from McMullen Road to Bell Shoals Road, involves 2.6 miles of road and began in August 2010.

"We've to a lot going on right now," Valdez said. "One new bridge has been built and we demolished the old."

With traffic rerouted to the new bridge, the second bridge is being constructed where the old bridge once stood, just west of Bell Shoals Road. As Valdez put it: "Where one bridge was you needed two, side-by-side."