Traffic on the Suncoast Parkway during its first year of operation was 25 percent off state projections, but the numbers for the section closest to Citrus County were much closer to the estimates, according to figures released Wednesday.

The 42-mile toll road, which connects the Veterans Expressway in Hillsborough County to U.S. 98 just south of the Citrus county line, average 25,800 vehicles a day. The Turnpike District had estimated the average daily use at 34,400.

Parkway officials say the reduction in traffic is not because the parkway isn't popular. Instead, they cited other factors, including the Sept. 11 2001, terrorist attacks, which reduced tourism and sent the economy into a tailspin.

During the first year, the parkway received $16.1 million in toll revenue compared to the projected revenue of $18.9 million.

Parkway spokeswoman Joanne Hurley said the numbers show the parkway is performing well.

"We're very pleased with the revenue performance," she said. "We do anticipate it will continue to ramp up."

Janet Masaoy, president of Citizens Opposed to the Suncoast Tollway, or COST, said she thought the numbers would be lower.

"I thought it would be off more, based on what people were telling me," she said. "People who drive the parkway tell me there's nobody on it. That's why they like it."

The traffic counts are for the three mainline toll plazas. The closest to Citrus County is just north of State Road 50 in Hernando County, where average traffic was 3,100 vehicles a day compared to the estimated 3,600 vehicles a day.

The middle plaza is between S.R. 52 and County Line Road in Pasco County. The southern plaza is between State Roads 52 and 54 in Pasco County.

Parkway officials listed three reasons why they believe traffic fell short of projections:

• The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and economic conditions significantly reduced air travel and tourism. The parkway is a main route to Tampa International Airport. Officials estimate they lost $140,000.
• A Dec. 28, 2001, tanker-truck accident destroyed an overpass in the Veterans Expressway. Rebuilding the overpass took two months. While the impact was felt more on the Veterans, which has much higher traffic counts than the Suncoast, the corridor lost $280,000 in revenue, officials estimate.
• "Competitive" roads, particularly U.S. 41 had improvements done ahead of schedule, drawing traffic off the parkway.

  Citrus County Commissioners Josh Wooten and Vicki Phillips said they were surprised to learn the numbers were off. They said as the study continues for the Suncoast 2 project in Citrus County, their interest is the actual traffic numbers for the northern end of the parkway.

"I'm looking to see if there is traffic to justify extending it through Citrus County," Wooten said. "Since it'll take seven to 10 years before it's built, my gut feeling is it probably will be needed."

Phillips said she, too, will watch annual numbers.

"I'm not as interested in their projections," she said. "What I'm more interested in is seeing the actual numbers. That gives you the true picture."

While the county commission is on record supporting extending the parkway through Citrus County, Wooten said the board's reasoning is the road is needed to alleviate traffic.

"If the figures are so low," he said, "that argument would go out the window."

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SUNCOAST, BY THE NUMBERS Here are average daily traffic numbers on the Suncoast Parkway Compared to what had been projected. Northern section: Estimated, 3,600; actual, 3,100. Middle section: Estimated, 13,200; actual, 9,600. Southern section: Estimated, 17,600; actual 13,100.