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Gandy redesign gains fans, with reservations
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA ST. PETERSBURG -- One of three plans to regulate traffic entering and exiting Gandy Boulevard at Frontage Road met restrained approval Monday. Roadway planners presented their latest redesigns for the city's major east-west corridor to neighbors and members of a big nearby church. An option that keeps open Frontage Road as a two-way street was by far the favorite of residents and members of First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg. But they also thought the proposals could create a new safety hazard for neighborhood drivers trying to travel west on Gandy. None of the plans allow churchgoers to make an easy turn west on Gandy. And none provide drivers from west of 16th Street eastbound access to Gandy at a controlled traffic light. The church, founded 100 years ago and preparing to dedicate its new $11-million, 1,358-seat sanctuary on Christmas Eve, anticipates continuing growth and traffic. The parking lot accommodates 750 cars. The church has functions throughout the week. "Our Wednesday Woman's Bible Study group has between 400 and 500 cars leaving at noontime," said Wayne Wells, chairman of the church's Gandy Access Committee. "We have special events and a child care center." More than half the church's members turn west on Gandy when leaving the church, Wells said. Currently, the church hires off-duty St. Petersburg police officers to control an existing traffic light and direct departing traffic on Sunday. Under the proposed roadway redesign, that traffic light will be moved 400 feet east to 16th Street. Vehicles on Frontage Road traveling west from east of 16th Street will be able to use the light, but eastbound traffic, mostly from the church, will be forced to continue east to Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street. Direct eastbound access to Gandy will be possible only by using a proposed one-way merge lane just west of 16th Street (where the traffic light now exists). Neighborhood and church drivers wanting to travel west on Gandy would have to use that merge entry and then quickly cut across four lanes of traffic to make a U-turn at 16th Street. Alternately, these vehicles could make a U-turn at either a dedicated access point east of 16th Street or at Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street. "This (restriction of westbound traffic) really scares me. We have a good number of older drivers," said Dave Wilbanks, a church member. "I'm concerned about safety for our elderly drivers who will try to jump through traffic to turn west on Gandy," said Ray Hempstead. He describes himself as "triple-impacted" by the plan as an area resident, a church member and owner of a nearby business. Wells, Wilbanks and Hempstead were among more than 80 people who attended the public workshop sponsored by the city of St. Petersburg, its roadway designer, TBE Group, and the Florida Department of Transportation. Maps detailing the design options for Gandy Boulevard and the 16th Street N intersection were spread over walls, on easels and on table tops. Roadway planners answered questions and in turn asked people to fill out questionnaires about the proposed $5-million project. The main changes will include widening Gandy Boulevard from the current two lanes to three lanes in each direction, moving the traffic signal at Frontage Road about 400 feet east to 16th Street, and making the left-turn lane at Ninth Street longer. All of the plans attempt to improve traffic flow, safety and access to and from surrounding neighborhoods, according to E. Peter Nikolov, project manager for TBE Group. Opinions and reactions gathered Monday will be used to develop a final plan, expected next year. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2003, according to Nikolov. The "FDOT doesn't want any left turns (for westbound traffic) because of potential accidents," said Nikolov, stressing that the state has the final approval for whatever road design the city develops. Nikolov said that in the next 10 or 20 years, it is likely that Gandy will be elevated at the 16th Street intersection, eliminating the issue of westbound entry traffic. Neighbors are more concerned with what will happen in the next few years. "We say, send everything out to the 16th Street intersection. We'd rather take our chance at 15 miles an hour (at a light) than getting whacked at 60 miles an hour (by trying to merge into traffic)," said Glen Lake Estates Homeowners Association president K. Peter Gordon, as he urged area homeowners to make their opinions known to the city.
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