Hillsborough County's road repaving process: understanding the infrastructure investments

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A week ago, people living in unincorporated Hillsborough County, near Plant City, reached out to us, asking what they could do to get Sam Allen and Young Roads repaved.

"It's very bumpy. It has wash-out spots. They have repeatedly tried to repair it, but it has not been satisfactory," Al Vega explained.

WATCH: Hillsborough County's road repaving process: understanding the infrastructure investments

Cheryl Ernst, a neighbor, echoed the Vega's discontent.

"They've come since I've lived here the couple years to patch the holes three or four times. And I always say, 'Are you going to repave because really it's desperately needing repaving'. 'Well, we're sorry you're not on the books for this year or 2025, or 2026' I'm like, what does it take to get on the books so that we can get this road paved?"

After the story aired, others contacted ABC Action News. One email said in part, "This is terrible, vehicles are getting messed up. Most people drive down the middle of the road, to avoid it , and it very dangerous. The ruts are so bad it pulls your car from one side to another."

Adding his safety concern: "There are ditches along Sam Allen Heading East to 39, right on the edge that are roughly 12’ to 14’ deep. People have died there. You can see the Crosses. This issue could be fixed by laying and connecting pipes."

I took their concerns to Josh Bellotti, the Engineering and Operations Director for Hillsborough County Public Works. He explains how the county determines which road projects happen first.

Bellotti emphasized the county's vast infrastructure, which includes over 7,400 miles of paved roads—more than what some states have in their entire transportation departments.

"Some residents may not realize just how vast the county's roadway network is," Bellotti explained. "We have a substantial volume that we have to deal with."

Recognizing the importance of accurate data in managing road conditions, the county has implemented a digital data collection system. This system employs a specialized truck equipped with infrared and other sensors to assess the condition of every square inch of the roadway network. According to Bellotti, this assessment occurs on a two-year cycle, providing comprehensive data on roadway conditions.

"We have a really good data on roadway and pavement condition, and that pavement condition score is what we utilize for prioritizing roadway paving projects," he noted.

When it comes to determining which roads are prioritized for repaving, Bellotti highlighted that the county focuses on the most deteriorated areas first.

“Some of the roadways look pretty bad—repeat potholes, lots of cracking and deterioration," he stated.

The pavement condition score, which ranges from 1 to 100, is key to this prioritization, with roads as low as the teens indicating urgent repair needs.

Residents have expressed concerns about the visible signs of deterioration in several areas, including Plant City. While some roads may have visible issues, Bellotti assuaged fears by explaining that some of these roads may still maintain structural integrity.

"We want to get to all of them. Our goal is for them all to be in fair or better condition," he stated.

The complete repaving process goes beyond mere surface treatment; it involves extensive planning and execution. Bellotti described that capital repaving projects include milling and removing the existing asphalt layer, potentially restoring the base if it is found to be failing.

“We don’t want to lay new asphalt down that’s going to just crumble,” he cautioned.

Bellotti says Hillsborough County is focused on both repaving roads and maintaining existing infrastructure, such as sidewalks, bridges, and intersections. Bellotti highlighted the county's commitment to improving safety for all road users, including enhancing pedestrian access and making it easier for children to reach schools.

Investment in transportation infrastructure has increased significantly, with a proposed budget reaching up to $1 billion to fund various projects.

A week ago, he addressed these very issues at a Hillsborough County Commission Workshop. Commission Chair Ken Hagan offered additional insight into why some roads in the county are in rough shape, but not at the top of the repair list.

“Ten to fifteen years ago, the county made a decision to use a cheaper resurfacing method that initially saved money but ultimately required additional applications down the road. As a result, there are many neighborhoods, particularly in the northwest and likely throughout the county, where entire areas are structurally sound, yet they look horrible,” said Commissioner Hagan.

He explained that the ranking of road repair projects may not always reflect the visual condition of the roads.

“Inevitably, when residents call our staff to ask about a project, we often hear: ‘Oh, it's ranked 240, or 350,’ and we’ll receive 50 or 100 complaints on that one. Meanwhile, a neighborhood that’s ranked fifth might not generate any feedback,” he added. “For the average person, it's difficult to understand why one road should be in the top 10 while another appears much worse and is ranked at 200 or 300."

Despite the rankings, residents living along Sam Allen Road express a strong desire for improvements.

"That's all I want. Fix Sam Allen, for Sam Allen residents that live up and down Sam Allen, we have to travel. Everybody has to travel this. They're building a big, 1800 home complex down at the very end of Sam Allen, those people are going to be coming and going for more grocery shopping, and they're going to have milkshakes instead of a gallon of milk. It's just going to be it's bad. The more traffic that goes down the road, the more wear and tear on the road, the more wear and tear on the road, more wear and tear on the vehicles." Vega said.