The city plans to invest more than $1.75-million for improvements to Clearwater-Largo Road. Federal grants will pay for a portion of the cost.
By TERRI D. REEVES
Published May 13, 2004
LARGO - With some help from Uncle Sam, Clearwater-Largo Road should soon look just as pretty as its stylish counterpart, West Bay Drive.
The city plans to spend more than $1.75-million to streetscape the 1.25-mile stretch of road from West Bay Drive north to Ponce de Leon Boulevard. More than $700,000 is available to the city in federal Community Development Block Grants.
"The road is designated as a community redevelopment district and thus is eligible for the federal funding," said community development director Michael J. Staffopoulos.
Under the plan, the street, which now lacks trees and greenery, would blossom into a pedestrian-friendly paradise with wide sidewalks, brick crosswalks, lush landscaping, midblock pedestrian crossings and decorative hunter green lights and street furniture.
The city's reclaimed water lines will be extended to provide irrigation for the new plants and trees.
It will, in essence, mirror the improvements made to West Bay, only with a tropical theme, said city engineer Todd Bosso.
"We won't have as many oaks as West Bay but more palms," he said. "The two looks will blend easily and be very pedestrian-friendly."
Phase I, which will begin at West Bay and continue to Rosery Road, will include date palms, crape myrtles, shrubs and ground covers. Construction for this portion of the road should begin by year's end.
Phase II, from Rosery to Ponce de Leon Boulevard, will start about six months later and will utilize sabal palms in lieu of the crape myrtles as the width of the right of way narrows on this portion of the street.
The project should be complete by the end of 2005, Bosso said.
Driveway openings to businesses will be adjusted to create uniformity and aesthetic appeal.
"Where it is feasible, they will be narrowed and provide a central entrance and exit and more safety for pedestrians," Bosso said.
Sidewalks will be enlarged to 5 feet wide and lined with 8 inch bricks on each side.
Because there are only a few crosswalks on the road, additional midblock pedestrian crossings, or "islands of safety" as Bosso calls them, will be installed. All crosswalks will be laid in brick to signal to the driver that this is a pedestrian crossing.
Largo plans to use LED-illuminated markers that will be placed in the road at midblock pedestrian crossings.
"These are the first in the county that I am aware of," said Bosso.
The lights will be programmed to alert drivers with flashing bulbs when someone is using the crosswalk. Bosso said they have excellent daytime visibility and will likely be pedestrian activated.
"If we are going to promote pedestrian traffic we need to promote their safety as well," he said.
