Dr. Delay

Avoid tangle at U.S. 19 - unless you like stress

Okay, listen up folks, because we're in deep trouble.

In connection with the otherwise marvelous repaving project along U.S. 19 from Gandy/Park Boulevard to Cove Cay, north of Roosevelt Boulevard, there is about to be a serious and most inconvenient detour.

Beginning Monday, state roadies will be closing the heavily used ramps from southbound U.S. 19 to westbound Park Boulevard and from eastbound Park Boulevard to northbound and southbound U.S. 19. The nighttime closures will begin at 9 p.m. and last until 5 a.m.

If the weather and the temperatures cooperate, the work should be done by week's end. If it rains or gets too cool, the work will slop over (another technical transportation term) into the first week of November.

There are suggested detours, to wit:

To get from eastbound Park Boulevard to U.S. 19, take a right at 49th Street and go south to 70th Avenue N. Turn left on 70th Avenue to U.S. 19. To get from southbound U.S. 19 to westbound Park, go under the Gandy overpass and on to 70th Avenue. Turn right on 70th to 49th Street and take another right to Park.

The state, county and Pinellas Park roadies all suggest that your best bet is to stay as far away from this intersection as possible for the next week.

We need to correct some slight misinformation from two weeks ago. That simply ghastly intersection of Central and Pasadena avenues is scheduled for repaving, as we told you. It will be done in connection with the repaving of 66th Street from Tyrone Boulevard south to Pasadena and south on Pasadena to Park Street.

The contract will be issued in June 2004, and work will begin in September. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. Trust me.

I am pleased to report that the county roadies heard your cries of anguish and have given you reason to rejoice.

We heard from Len Ciecieznski of the Pinellas County Public Works/Highway Department that as a result of your complaints to Jessie and me, two annoying road problems have been fixed.

The first was the serious dip in Park Street between First Avenue N and Central Avenue. You could feel your stomach jump to your throat if you took that one too fast.

Fixed.

Second was the bad pavement on northbound Haines Road at 61st Street N, which desperately need to be leveled.

Done.

How great is that?

You see, it does pay (sometimes) to open your mouths and cry into the wind because sometimes the wind carries your concerns to the right ears. And Len has assured us that the county roadies are eager to check out any more problems you all come up with.

So keep in touch.

Speaking of pavement that needs help, the next time you are westbound on Roosevelt Boulevard and catch the light at 28th Street, take a look at the pavement in the right-hand left-turn lane for southbound 28th.

Let's go over that again for those who weren't paying enough attention. It's the outermost left-turn lane from Roosevelt to southbound 28th Street.

It looks like a wrinkled blanket, as if a giant hand pushed the asphalt into a mound next to the left through lane.

It's very weird. We can't figure out what might have caused that.

But it isn't going to feel good if you go over the crumpled pavement.

For its potential to rattle your bones, we award this the Eyeball Jiggler of the Week award.

Congratulations.

Are you 50 or older? Want to save some money on your automobile insurance?

You can by attending AARP's eight-hour driver safety course Nov. 6-7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day at the Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, 1255 Pasadena Ave. S.

You have to be 50 or older to participate and the fee is $10 per person, lots less than your insurance savings will be.

No walk-ins. Make reservations at 595-6850 or, for more information, call 812-3927.

Void where prohibited.

Offer not valid in New Jersey, Texas or Gary, Ind.

Participants must brake for muskrats.

(That italic part is a joke, but you really should brake for muskrats.)

In the good news department, it appears that the work is just about complete on that complicated sinkhole problem at Fifth Avenue N and Beach Drive in front of the Renaissance Vinoy Resort. Jessie and I drove past there a couple of days ago and city crews were repaving the street.

Can smooth streets be far behind?

For those of you who have been endlessly unhappy with the condition of Beach Drive in St. Petersburg, and with the horrid decay of the bicycle lane striping there, take heart. The city is in the process of repaving the street, a project that should be done quickly.

And then comes restriping, and increased safety for those of you on two wheels.

Ah! We hear cheering.

- Dr. Delay can be reached by e-mail at docdelay@sptimes.com by fax at 727 893-8675 or by snail mail at 490 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

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