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Letter to the editor

Foes of 102nd Ave. N project will speak piece to county

Tuesday morning's workshop is open to the public.

By Anne Lindberg, Times Staff Writer
Published February 24, 2008

SEMINOLE - Opponents of a proposal to widen 102nd Avenue N will have a chance to plead their case to Pinellas County commissioners Tuesday.

It's a case they've spent months preparing at the grass roots level and with the Seminole City Council, which has passed a resolution opposing the widening. Seminole Mayor Jimmy Johnson and City Manager Frank Edmunds have visited county officials on behalf of the opponents.

Among the objections: The project is unnecessary because the area is built out, and traffic is unlikely to increase on a dead end road. It would destroy the character of the neighborhood. Widening would increase the danger to joggers, walkers and horseback riders.

The county wants to widen 102nd from Seminole Boulevard west to Antilles Drive (137th Street N). The road would be four lanes, with bike lanes on both sides and a median.

The project would be done in three phases. The boundaries of those phases have not been established. But Phase I, the middle portion, is estimated to cost $18.6-million, which includes buying land for right of way, beautification, a bridge widening and the road work itself. Construction likely would start in the summer of 2010.

Phase II, the westward-most section of the project area, is expected to cost about $13.2-million, which includes road work, a pedestrian bridge for the Pinellas Trail where it crosses 102nd and road beautification. It is unclear when this phase might begin.

Phase III, the eastern-most section of the road, is estimated to cost $1.2-million, including road work and beautification. It also is unclear when this work might be done.

Tuesday's workshop is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the boardroom at the Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court St., Clearwater. The workshop is open to the public, and commissioners are scheduled to hear comments from those who support the project and those who oppose it.

[Last modified February 23, 2008, 21:59:23]