Trip analysis

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 6, 2001

Trip One

• Starting point: Spring Hill Drive and Mariner Boulevard, Spring Hill
• Destination: Post Office parking lot at Tampa International Airport
• Driver: Jennifer Farrell, staff writer
• Route: East on Spring Hill Drive to the Suncoast Parkway; south on Suncoast Parkway to Veterans Expressway; south on Veterans Expressway to the airport exit.
• Departure time: 8 a.m.
• Arrival time: 8:51 a.m.
• Minutes: 51
• Mileage: 46.6 miles
• Trip summary: I hit light traffic on Spring Hill Drive, making it to the parkway in just under seven minutes. Once on the new road, the lanes were virtually empty until just outside Hillsborough County. I reached the end of the Veterans Expressway at the merge with State Road 60 in time for the tail end of rush hour, and traffic slowed to around 35 mph for about a mile.

• Driver: Saundra Amrhein, staff writer
• Route: South on Mariner Boulevard to Shady Hills Boulevard in Pasco County; south on Shady Hills to SR 52; east to U.S. 41; south to Dale Mabry Highway; south on Dale Mabry to the Veterans Expressway; Veterans to the airport.
• Departure time: 12:25 p.m.
• Arrival time: 1:17 p.m.
• Minutes: 52
• Mileage: 43.6 miles
• Trip summary: Traffic was heavy on Mariner Boulevard, almost bumper to bumper, light on Shady Hills and moderate on SR 52 and U.S. 41. The Veterans Expressway saw a steady stream of cars, though not bumper to bumper. Cars regularly entered the highway, but the toll booths were never backed up more than two cars at any moment.

Trip 2

• Starting point: Hernando Times office at 161 E Jefferson St. in downtown Brooksville
• Destination: Post Office parking lot at Tampa International Airport
• Driver: Jamie Malernee, staff writer
• Route: Downtown Brooksville west on SR 50 to the Suncoast Parkway; south on the Suncoast Parkway to the Veterans Expressway; south on the Veterans to the airport exit.
• Departure time: 8:05 a.m.
• Arrival time: 9 a.m.
• Minutes: 55
• Mileage: 50.6 miles
• Trip summary: It was a straight, easy shot all the way once I got onto the Suncoast Parkway. In fact, once I was on the new road, the trip took only 44 minutes to the airport. The new roadway was virtually empty through Hernando and Pasco counties, with no real slowdowns until I got to the vicinity of the airport, and then only briefly. The virtual lack of traffic makes it tempting to speed, but I dutifully stayed within the posted limit, which was usually 65 mph, but slowed down to 55 and 45 in a few spots. I saw more than a few cars clipping along at what looked like about 75 mph. Once the toll booths open up, drivers may have to add a few extra minutes onto their trip.

• Driver: Mike Konrad, editor
• Route: From downtown Brooksville, State Road 50 to Spring Lake Highway; south on Spring Lake Highway to Interstate 75; south on I-75 to I-275; I-275 through Tampa to the airport exit.
• Departure time: 8:05 a.m.
• Arrival time: 9:08 a.m.
• Minutes: 63
• Mileage: 54.4 miles
• Trip summary: It was smooth sailing at the speed limit, 60 mph, on SR 50. Likewise, I encountered no delays on Spring Lake Highway or on I-75 until I reached SR 54. Just south of SR 54, in the construction zone, traffic was bumper to bumper, but I was able to maintain a speed close to the 55 mph limit. After the I-75/I-275 split, traffic was light to moderate. Not until Fowler Avenue in Tampa did I encounter my first delay, a brief stop. The pace resumed soon to 40 mph to 50 mph, and by the time I reached Busch Boulevard, I was able to travel at 55 mph until I hit the I-275/I-4 junction downtown. From there to Dale Mabry Highway, traffic was stop and go, averaging about 45 mph. All lanes of traffic opened up after Dale Mabry, and I was able to proceed to the airport at a normal rate of speed.

• Driver: Olie Stonerook, staff photographer
• Route: U.S. 41 south to Dale Mabry Highway; south on Dale Mabry to the Veterans Expressway; Veterans to the airport.
• Departure time: 8:05 a.m.
• Arrival time: 9:13 a.m.
• Minutes: 68
• Mileage: 50 miles
• Trip summary: There was very light traffic on U.S. 41 and Dale Mabry Highway. When I reached the point where the Suncoast Parkway enters the Veterans Expressway, there were short delays at the two toll booths on the Veterans. Something worth noting: I did not see any rock trucks on the entire trip.

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