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Cities welcome DOT proposal
By ERIC STIRGUS © St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001 The state Department of Transportation has proposed moving Alt. U.S. 19 from Clearwater-Largo Road and Fort Harrison Avenue to Missouri Avenue, a move that city officials from Clearwater and Largo say would help their downtown redevelopment efforts.
Although it was not what the city requested, Ralph Stone, Clearwater's planning director, said he was far from disappointed by the state's proposal. "That kind of solves what was our desire, to get it over" from Fort Harrison Avenue, Stone said Friday. "It seems like it would serve the same purpose." The city wants to shrink Fort Harrison Avenue from four lanes to two lanes and add some landscaping. "We would like to make it a more pedestrian cross section," said Stone. Largo officials were thrilled. "I think it's a great victory for us," said Mayor Bob Jackson. Before the changes can be made, the proposal must go through several steps that may take more than a year, state DOT officials said. In addition to being reviewed by the state and the two cities, the plans must also get the approval of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which numbers all federal highways. "It's going to take some time to do," said state DOT spokeswoman Miriam Pscion. Largo officials are willing to wait. In recent years, Largo has tried to bring more upscale businesses to Clearwater-Largo Road through financial incentives and other programs. The city wants to make several improvements along the thoroughfare to make it more business-friendly, but can't because it is a federal road. City officials want to make the road one-way in each direction with a center turn lane and allow on-street parking. It now is two lanes each way. The city also has discussed lowering the speed limit from 40 mph to 30 or 35 mph. City officials say they hope these measures will encourage people to park their vehicles and shop or dine along the corridor. "It just gives us the opportunity to do something with the road," said Largo Community Development Director Ric Goss. Ron Bortolini, who owns Durable Coatings, a retail paint shop on Clearwater-Largo Road, has been trying to get the state to change the designation for eight years. "Yes, please, it's about time," said Bortolini, when told about the proposed plan. Bortolini says he thinks the six-lane Missouri Avenue is better suited to being a federal highway than the four-lane Clearwater-Largo Road. "Missouri is more commercial," he said. "It can adapt to it."
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From the Times North Pinellas desks |
Clearwater officials submitted a proposal last April to change the route from Fort Harrison Avenue at Lakeview Road and have it run along Myrtle Avenue to Dunedin. DOT officials rejected that idea, citing several factors, including unsuitable space for large trucks to turn and inadequate signal progression.
