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Open season for potholes

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published July 9, 2006

It must be the season for potholes because they seem to be blossoming all over town. The worst I've encountered in the last week pepper the westbound lane of 38th Avenue N from 34th to 58th streets. I counted at least a half dozen sizeable craters and they aren't easy to dodge. I am hopeful that the county's Public Works Department has this road on its to-do list 38th Avenue N is county road from Fourth Street to about 80th Street N with the exception of a small section of road between 16th and 18th streets N.

* * *

Ulmerton Road commuters who have given up hope that the left turn signal from westbound Ulmerton onto southbound 66th Street would ever be solved, hang on, help really is on the way. Several weeks ago we addressed the issue of the interminable light cycle that allowed very few vehicles through the intersection. Several readers had written or telephoned about the intersection. County workers in charge of signal timing were alerted and they assured us a fix was in the works.

A reader alerted me last week that there were no changes and that, in fact, the problem had worsened in his opinion.

Gary Wenner wrote that he recently sat through four light cycles before getting through the intersection.

"It took about 12 minutes for me to make a left turn onto 66th Street at 3 p.m. and there were 8 to 10 cars that did not make it, despite cars running the red light, some blocking the opposite turn lane. I timed the turn cycles. The shortest was 10 seconds; the longest was 20 seconds."

Ken Jacobs, who manages signal operations for Pinellas County, responded via e-mail that the ongoing problem was the result of a miscommunication.

"This problem was our fault," Jacobs said. "We assumed based on the e-mails we had received that the reported problem was in the PM peak. We made a change that should have corrected the problem. We have made the same change to the timing plan that runs at 3 p.m. and it should take care of the problems."

* * *

Is there a difference between dialing *FHP and 511 for traffic information? One reader found out that there is. She wrote:

"What is the deal with *FHP? I used it twice today (July 5). The first time I seemed to reach someone in some sort of geographic proximity because she knew about the mess on the northbound side of the Skyway. She then told me there was another number I should have used to inquire about road conditions because she is dispatch (probably one of those new numbers that end in 11). When they post signs on the highway that say *FHP, there are no warnings about how it is to be used.

Coming from Manatee I tried to use *FHP and twice ended up with dispatch in Jacksonville. I was trying to find out if the accident had been cleared; it took me an hour from the toll booth to the other end of the bridge. Is there another easy number a motorist can call to get road information?"

After some checking around, I discovered that for information on road conditions, 511 is your best bet. The *FHP system is meant for motorists to report problems like drunken drivers, wrecks, disabled motorists or any suspicious incidents occurring on Florida roads. Motorists who dial *FHP from their cellular phones are able to contact the nearest FHP station free of charge, courtesy of participating Florida cellular phone companies.

According to Marian Scorza of the DOT, the toll-free 511 system is for motorists looking for up-to-date information on road conditions. Information is available for Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties.

"We really hope that by using the 511 system, motorists will free up the *FHP system which is meant for dispatching and reporting problems," Scorza said.

The 511 service will give you information on select area roads and road segments, mass transit information including buses, trains, airports and seaports; event information for major concerts or sports events; and public safety alerts for the Tampa Bay area.

Until next week, happy and safe motoring!

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

[Last modified July 8, 2006, 23:28:16]