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The circuit court Traffic Department, formerly downtown, hopes to improve customer service by moving to a much larger office in an area with free parking.
By EVE LEBERSON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 1, 2002
NORTH TAMPA -- Paying traffic tickets is about to become a bit easier for those who prefer to avoid the interstate.
The Traffic Department of the Clerk of Circuit Court is closing its Courthouse Annex location at 6 p.m. today in downtown Tampa and will open its new headquarters on Monday at the Floriland Business Center at the northwest corner of Busch Boulevard and Florida Avenue.
"One of the main reasons guiding us to move out to the new location was the ability to improve customer service and improve the waiting time and the general atmosphere for the people that are waiting for the traffic tickets to be paid," said Lynn Ryder, general manager of court operations management.
The north Tampa location will offer patrons paying their fines and scheduling court dates nearly three times as much space, 13 clerk windows, three cashier windows, a lobby with chairs and free parking.
The Annex location at 801 E Twiggs St., which opened in 1985, was inconvenient for many patrons, Ryder said. Sometimes visitors would be at the downtown office so long they'd receive parking tickets for expired parking meters.
"And the waiting area downtown was really restricted, noisy and crowded," she said of the 5,000-square-foot office. "It wasn't what we wanted for the public."
The new office is at 9309 N Florida Ave., Suite 103. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are also branches in Brandon and Plant City. For information, call 276-2029.