Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

DOT limits left turns near bridge

By PAUL SWIDER
Published March 12, 2006

Seeking to improve the traffic bottleneck caused by construction on the John's Pass Bridge, the Florida Department of Transportation on Thursday created a revised traffic pattern to limit left turns on both sides of the bridge.

Those turning left into John's Pass Village in Madeira Beach and those turning into the Kingfish Point commercial area in Treasure Island were inhibiting the free flow of traffic approaching and leaving the two lanes sharing one open half of the bridge. Waiting left turners would hold up traffic or dart across oncoming traffic as cars piled up in both directions, officials said.

"People were taking shots that they wouldn't normally take," said Ralph Stone, Treasure Island's city manager. "There is no bailout space there."

The new pattern will disallow left turns from southbound Gulf Boulevard into John's Pass Village at 129th Avenue. Access via 130th Avenue will still be open and drivers can also use that street to turn left from the village and go south on Gulf Boulevard.

Also prohibited will be southbound left turns onto 127th Avenue in Treasure Island. Those wishing to access businesses on Kingfish Drive will instead have to turn left at 125th Avenue and then use Lagoon Lane, which will temporarily become a one-way street going north. Those seeking to leave that area and head south would use the alley between Lagoon Lane and Gulf Boulevard, which will become a one-way path, to reach 126th Avenue.

All left turns from 129th and 127th avenues onto Gulf Boulevard are also prohibited. This pattern will remain until the first half of bridge construction is finished, projected to be August 2007.

Stone said the city has talked to DOT about such changes for a time before the agency initiated action. He said there is some concern for those who live along the areas where vehicles will be detoured.

"It will be very frustrating," he said. "It's going to require patience on everybody's part."

The pattern is similar to one used the last time the John's Pass Bridge was rehabilitated in 1997, according to DOT. The agency has marked the allowable access points with tall, yellow flexible poles that will provide a visual guide to drivers.

Paul Swider can be reached at 892-2271 or pswider@sptimes.com or by participating in itsyourtimes.com.

[Last modified March 12, 2006, 01:18:21]