Officials expect traveling hordes

[Times photo: Fred Victorin] Pinellas County Deputy L.S. Palombo, left, waits in his chase car Friday as Deputy Bob Haimes shoots radar of northbound traffic at U.S. 19 and Ulmerton Road.

By MIKE BRASSFIELD

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 2, 2000

Exploding tires, steep gas prices, broiling heat, crowded airports -- nothing, nothing will stop nearly 34-million Americans and 1.5-million Floridians from traveling on the last three-day weekend of summer.

Traffic will be thick. The Florida Highway Patrol expects 31 people to die on Florida roads over Labor Day weekend. In the Tampa Bay area, state troopers and police officers will focus attention on several of the busiest roads and bridges.

"This is kind of considered the final big weekend of the summer. People want to take advantage of that by heading to the beach or to Orlando," said Cindy Sharpe, spokeswoman for AAA Auto Club South in Tampa. "The beaches are already packed. We're getting plenty of calls about hotel rooms."

AAA predicts 33.7-million Americans will travel this weekend, up a solid 5 percent over last year. Many will drive even though a gallon of regular gasoline costs 23 cents more than it did a year ago. Local gas prices are averaging $1.43 a gallon for regular unleaded.

AAA estimates that 1.46-million Floridians will drive at least 100 miles from home, and a fair percentage are coming here.

Traffic officers are ready. They'll be out in force, and they'll have air support.

A Highway Patrol airplane will be overhead through the weekend, scanning traffic on Interstates 275, 4 and 75, the Sunshine Skyway and Howard Frankland Bridge, said FHP Lt. Sterling King.

In Pinellas County, the plane will watch over the Bayside Bridge, Ulmerton Road and Roosevelt Boulevard, looking for speeders and radioing their locations to officers on the ground.

In Pasco and Hernando counties, state troopers will focus on I-75, U.S. 41 and State Road 52, King said.

Traffic officers on both sides of the bay kicked off the weekend with a strong presence on the roads Friday.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office zeroed in on U.S. 19 for most of the day, particularly around Ulmerton, Alderman and Tampa roads. With the help of a sheriff's helicopter, about 20 deputies were pulling over speeders, aggressive drivers and red-light runners.

In Hillsborough County, a "wolfpack" of officers from several law enforcement agencies was out scouting for drunken drivers Friday night.

Based on the past three Labor Day weekends, the FHP thinks 31 people will die in Florida traffic accidents by Monday night.

During last year's holiday, 26 people died in 26 separate car wrecks -- 16 drivers, six passengers and four pedestrians. Nearly 70 percent of those in vehicles weren't wearing seat belts, the FHP said.

Nearly 40 percent of the fatal crashes were alcohol-related, the FHP said. Half of them happened after dark and nearly 90 percent in clear weather. Nearly three-fourths of the accidents were on straight, level highways.

Labor Day

AAA estimates that over the weekend:

33.7-million Americans will travel, up 5 percent over last year;

most of them will drive despite a gallon of regular gasoline costing 23 cents more than in 1999;

1.46-million Floridians will drive at least 100 miles from home.

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