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Letter to the editor

Expect waves of traffic during boat show

Dr. Delay Navigating South Pinellas

By LORRIE LYKINS, Times Correspondent
Published October 28, 2007

Downtown commuters should be prepared for increased traffic volume this week as a boat show on St. Petersburg's waterfront opens Thursday at 10 a.m. The Strictly Sail St. Petersburg boat show at Spa Beach and the Pier runs through the weekend.

The Looper Trolley will provide free shuttle service to the Pier beginning at 9 a.m. each day of the show, making stops at Progress Energy Park/Al Lang Field parking lot, BayWalk/Mid Core parking garage and the Dolphin Parking Lot/Spa Beach. The Looper will run every 10 minutes. For schedule and stop details online, go to: www.loopertrolley.com.

Bryan Dairy and Starkey

Ingress, egress tricky at shopping center

Motorists in the Bardmoor area say that getting in and out of the Bardmoor Shopping Center is becoming more and more of a nightmare. A Publix anchors the complex, which sits at Bryan Dairy and Starkey Roads and also boasts an Applebee's restaurant, Starbucks, Bealls Outlet and lots of specialty shops. But the entrances and exits produce anxiety for most. The complex's north exit only allows for a right turn onto Bryan Dairy Road, forcing all traffic east. The nearest intersection forbids motorists from making U-turns, so folks who exit and want to head west must brave the bumper-to-bumper eastbound traffic and turn into the Morton Plant outpatient complex, then turn around or get stuck in the eastbound stream of traffic until they can make a legal U-turn much farther up the road.

Reader Janet Bremm, who lives close to Bardmoor, wrote that exiting from the west side of the shopping center is just as treacherous, with vehicles pulling out in front of high-speed northbound traffic on Starkey and lots of crazy maneuvers from folks who shoot out of the center's driveway, cut across multiple lanes of traffic and execute U-turns at high speeds to head south. Bremm wonders how many accidents are occurring in the area on average and suggests a right-turn only exit for the west exit as a possible solution.

We checked with Sgt. Jim Bordner of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Bordner said the shopping center is in unincorporated Pinellas County, and most crashes that occur there are investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, but when FHP is tied up, the Sheriff's Office investigates. Bordner said his agency has nine crashes in the location on record that occurred on Starkey Road, south of Bryan Dairy Road from January to October of this year.

Hamlin Boulevard

County will look at traffic, signal timing

Traffic signal engineers are trouble-shooting timing at several locales in response to reader queries. Bill Norris wrote in to say that his daily commute takes him north on Hamlin Boulevard to Walsingham Road, but it takes two minutes from the time he stops at the red light before the signal turns green and allows traffic to turn left onto Walsingham.

Glenn Weaver, county signal operations supervisor, said a traffic volume study will be conducted at the intersection to determine traffic flow variations throughout the day.

"We will utilize the traffic volume counts and signal timing software to calculate the new signal timing intervals. Once installed, the optimized signal times should minimize side street delay and maximize the overall intersection operation," Weaver said.

62nd Avenue N.

Fatality prompts call for warning or caution sign

Reader Mary Cox is concerned about 62nd Avenue N around the 2300 block, noting a recent traffic fatality there. Cox wrote: "What are the chances of the city stepping up and installing a warning/caution sign there to warn motorists of that very dangerous curve?"

Mike Frederick, neighborhood transportation manager, said his department will review the corridor for signage/traffic control.

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 October 27, 2007, 23:05:17]