Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Dr. Delay

Vexing Treasure Island pedestrian sign replaced

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published July 17, 2005

Reader Eileen McGrath Clark sent an e-mail recently to declare her bewilderment about the pedestrian crosswalk sign on Gulf Boulevard near the Bilmar Hotel.

"Dear Dr. Delay, I am totally confused!" she wrote. "The crosswalk in front of the Bilmar Hotel and Sloppy Joe's on Treasure Island has a sign that states: "Pedestrians Must Yield to Traffic' (or vehicles, I can't remember which). What is the law and what constitutes a designated crosswalk?"

Clark and I spoke on the phone, and she said she's not the only one wondering about the sign. "I live so close by (the intersection) and when I go to have my hair done, I see all these people standing there, and you can tell they don't know what they're supposed to do - when to go, when not to go, I mean, what does that sign mean?"

I shared Clark's query with Kristen Carson of the Florida Department of Transportation. Carson said the sign had been brought to the attention of the DOT by another equally bewildered citizen. Carson said the DOT contacted Treasure Island's public works department and requested that the city remove the sign because "it was confusing," Carson said, noting that the sign had been installed by local government. It was removed last week.

Carson said signs were recently installed that read "State law - Yield to Pedestrians within Crosswalk." Motorists must yield to pedestrians within a crosswalk, she said. "If pedestrians are in the crosswalk, an oncoming car must yield to them. However, if they are not in the crosswalk, they must wait for it to be clear."

Similar signs should be appearing along with new crosswalks along the beach road, Carson said. "The department takes safety very seriously and has committed to working with local governments to install additional crosswalks along Gulf Boulevard," she said.

It seems some commuters behave as if the curvy roads within the Carillon Office Park complex are the Indy 500, at least according to some of the Doc's readers.

One said that, during rush hour, driving through the office park (home to the Raymond James Financial Center and Bright House Networks) can get pretty hairy. Here's what he told me in an e-mail last week: "A work day doesn't go by without being nearly sideswiped when entering the Carillon Park area off Roosevelt Boulevard in St. Petersburg."

The frustrated reader said his troubles intensify when he turns onto Lake Carillon Drive and has to dodge cars. The reason is that at the approach to the intersection of Lake Carillon Drive and Carillon Parkway, the far left lane splits into two, with one side going straight and the other turning left.

He continues straight ahead "but because the road curves so much and the lanes are so wide," some motorists anticipate that the second lane from the left ends "and so they proceed into my lane without any signal," he said.

"After swerving nearly every day to avoid these lane changers (and getting the occasional middle finger), I wonder if there is any solution to this problem? I think the white lines in the Carillon area are one of the problems. Maybe they just don't stand out enough for people," he said.

The Doc did some checking around and it's unclear who is responsible for maintaining the roads inside Carillon.

As for reckless driving concerns, the office park comes under the St. Petersburg Police Department. Making the roads safer to navigate may be a good brainstorming project for the many workers who brave them every day. Suggestions anyone?

The sign at the intersection of Duhme Road and the Madeira Beach Causeway is one of many around the county downed by gusts of wind from Hurricane Dennis last weekend.

Speaking of road signs, 118th Avenue heading east from Pinellas Park could use one that indicates that 49th Street - also known as County Road 611 - leads to the Bayside Bridge. The blue and gold county road signs are up and clearly mark the junction at that intersection, but it's still a bit dicey if one is unfamiliar with the area. Wouldn't a simple sign that reads "Bayside Bridge" with an arrow pointing north be helpful? The Doc sure thinks so.

Look out for the flocks of waddling ducks that have been routinely tying up traffic near Crescent Lake along Fourth Street N in St. Petersburg. The parades of quackers usually cross Fifth Street N between 15th and 20th avenues. One reader wrote to report that while she has not seen any unfortunate incidents of duck vs. auto, she figures it's only a matter of time. She hopes the city will consider erecting duck crossing signs like the ones in Disston Heights. The Doc passed her e-mail on to the folks at the city.

For those heading downtown today, a reminder that the Reebok Women's Triathlon at Spa Beach Park, 615 Second Ave. NE, near the Pier approach, takes place this morning. The race gets moving at 7 a.m. and goes until about 1 p.m., so be alert for some detours and runners and cyclists if you plan to be on the road near the waterfront this morning, especially on Bayshore Drive, Coffee Pot Boulevard and on Monterey Boulevard on Snell Isle.

Until next week, happy and safe motoring.

Please share your traffic concerns, comments and questions with Dr. Delay via e-mail at docdelay@yahoo.com

[Last modified July 17, 2005, 01:05:20]