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Don't hold your breath for a better Haines Road

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published April 8, 2007

As with other long-promised but yet-to-materialize road projects around town, readers often inquire about the status of planned improvements to Haines Road. The project has been in the works for quite a while - as in years - and folks are wondering where it stands. Plans call for improvement of Haines Road from U.S. 19 to Interstate 275, a distance of about a mile and a half.

Planned improvements include two 14-foot lanes for bicyclists, 5-foot sidewalks and improved storm sewers. Turn lanes will be added and/or extended at the intersections with traffic signals, which will also be upgraded, including the intersection of 54th Avenue N and 28th Street.

The project is still in the preliminary design phase. The latest projections for the start of construction are late 2008. So we are still a few years away from seeing a new and improved road.

PSTA

Plan bus trips online

PSTA is offering riders a free online service to help plan bus trips. The trip planner, called "Rollin," is fairly easy to use. Log on to www.psta.net, click on the "Trip Planner" banner or logo and follow the instructions. Riders can enter a starting location, destination and desired time to travel and get detailed information on route options.

DOWNTOWN

Looper is free Saturday

Planning on being downtown for Festival of States events Saturday? Park it and hop on the trolley. The Looper Downtown Trolley will be in full swing for free, which should help with traffic and parking.

The Looper will run about every 15 minutes from noon until 10 p.m. and make stops at several downtown locations. Stops include the east side of the Mahaffey Theater parking lot at First Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues S, Progress Energy Park/Al Lang parking lot at First Street at First Avenue S, the BayWalk parking garage at First Street and First Avenue N, and Fifth Avenue NE between Beach and Bayshore drives.

For online information on the Looper service and a route map, go to www.loopertrolley.com.

TYRONE AT 38TH AVENUE

Calamity reigns

The Doc's least favorite intersection this week is east-west Tyrone Boulevard where it intersects with 38th Avenue N. This intersection is especially deserving of no U-turn designation for eastbound traffic and here's why:

The eastbounders who execute a U-turn at the traffic signal more often than not run into high-speed traffic pouring off 38th Avenue N heading west onto Tyrone. Add to this the distraction of the heavily traveled frontage roads and foot and bike traffic related to the Pinellas Trail and it's a recipe for calamity every time the light turns green.

PINELLAS

Our deadly distinction

Last week's mention about Pinellas County's being among the counties statewide with the highest number of speed-related fatalities generated reader questions on exactly where Pinellas County falls. Unfortunately, Pinellas is among the top 10.

Pinellas County had the seventh highest number of traffic fatalities related to speeding in 2005, according to the most recent information available from the DOT.

Miami-Dade and Palm Beach topped the list with 41 fatalities each. Orange County, which includes Orlando, was second (with 33 deaths), Hillsborough, third (31 deaths); and Pinellas was seventh (23 deaths).

Let's slow down, folks.

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

[Last modified April 7, 2007, 22:26:25]