Florida Construction News staff writer
Superior Construction has received notice to proceed on the final phase of the Suncoast Parkway 2 extension, a corridor in Florida’s Nature Coast region.
It marks the third phase of the project, owned by the Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE), that Superior has constructed since 2022.
Phase 3B of the Suncoast Parkway 2 (SR 589) is a five-mile segment extending SR 589 from CR 495 to US 19 in Citrus County. When complete, the project is expected to save drivers up to 20 minutes of commuting time by allowing them to bypass local roads and traffic signals through Crystal River.
The scope includes roadway construction, 13 bridges totaling 94,000 square feet, more than 268,000 square feet of mechanically stabilized earth walls, 70,000 tons of asphalt, more than 42,500 linear feet of drainage pipe, and nearly 4.5 million cubic yards of excavation and embankment.
The work will also involve extensive ground improvements to address the area’s karst topography, characterized by underground limestone erosion that creates subsurface voids. Superior will use vibro compaction and subsurface pressure grouting to stabilize the ground before roadway construction begins.
A Duke Energy railroad line bisects the jobsite, requiring construction to proceed from both sides of the tracks until the bridge spanning the line is complete.
Superior completed Phase 2 in August 2025 and began Phase 3A the same month. Phase 3B, which begins this spring, will run concurrently with Phase 3A — a scheduling approach that sets this phase apart from its predecessors.
“The biggest challenge is closely coordinating these two projects,” said Area Manager Matt Stuart. “But when you have the equipment and the people out there, one project benefits the other. We’ve done large, phased projects like this before. It’s not our first rodeo,” adding the strength of the relationship between Superior and FTE is rooted in transparency and a shared focus on outcomes over contract technicalities.
“We’re straightforward in the field and in the office. We’re fair and transparent, and we all have the same end goal. That’s what builds a real partnership,” he said.
The project is scheduled for completion in March 2031.
