Approved Route Corridor
The route was approved by Tampa Bay Water’s Board of Directors in the fall of 1998. Moving from east to west, Route 2 begins at the proposed North-Central Hillsborough Intertie Pipeline at a point east of I-75 and north of Morris Bridge Road. The route proceeds west, parallel to the FPC right-of-way, and crosses I-75. After crossing I-75, the route will follow the 200 feet wide TECO right-of-way and proceed west. The route will remain within the TECO right-of-way and cross Bruce B. Downs Blvd., I-275, US 41 and Dale Mabry Highway. After crossing Dale Mabry Highway, the route will turn north and proceed to the Lake Park Pumping Station.
The Route 2 corridor provides several benefits and satisfies the criteria more completely than the other alternative routes. These benefits include reduced impacts to private property/houses, minimal impacts to undisturbed wetlands, and few traffic impacts. Impacts to housing will be reduced because the pipeline will remain primarily within the 200 feet-wide TECO right-of-way. Traffic impacts will be minimal because the corridor does not follow roadways, and the pipeline will be tunneled under heavily traveled roadways.
Approved Route for Loop 72
TECO easement to contain approved route
looking northwest from state highway 581
TECO easement to contain
approved route looking west
The Tampa Bay Water Board has approved property acquisition only at this time. Additional phases on implementation are being considered as part of the system configuration analysis.
Funding
The total cost estimate for this element including the route study, design and construction is $25.6 million. Up to 50 percent of the capital costs of this project may be eligible for funding by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and local Basin Boards through the Partnership agreement. That agreement earmarks $183 million to assist Tampa Bay Water in developing eligible, alternative water supply sources.
System engineer, Black & Veatch, will evaluate the need to move forward as part of its system configuration analysis. This work will be completed by July of 2001.
Timing of the project is tied to the condition of approximately six miles of the Cypress Creek 84-inch pipeline built back in the early 70s. Timing is also tied to the carrying capacity of the 64-inch diameter Morris Bridge and Cypress Bridge pipeline. When flows from Morris Bridge Wellfield, Cypress Bridge Wellfield and sources flowing through the North Central Intertie exceed approximately 100 million gallons per day, additional capacity from the Loop 72 project will be needed.
