At its Oct. 1 meeting, the Pasco County Citizens Advisory Council discussed safety issues along the north end of U.S. 19 south of the county line and along several other corridors, and it requested further research and updates for the next committee meeting.

"We found that 54 of the 56 commercial driveways along this segment are nonconforming to the traffic safety perspective," Citizens Advisory Council Chair James Mallow said in his report to the MPO on Oct. 9. The committee requested that FDOT or the MPO review the roadway and consider a reduction to 45 mph on the segment.

Mallow told the board the committee asked staff to research crash locations to determine whether accidents cluster near nonconforming driveways and to report back at the November committee meeting. The chair also flagged nonconforming driveways along U.S. 41 and requested a status update on studies for Parkway Acres and Sea Ranch areas where members reported "serious crashes and pedestrian injuries, fatalities."

Committee members also raised enforcement and safety questions about e‑bikes, motorized scooters and off‑road motorcycles on trails and sidewalks. A law-enforcement representative noted enforcement is difficult because deputies are often responding from call to call and pursuit of fast, small electric vehicles raises safety concerns. The committee suggested additional research and potential enforcement coordination with sheriff's deputies and FDOT.

Why it matters: Nonconforming commercial driveways and posted speed limits can affect crash risk and traffic operations on major corridors. The CAC requested data-driven analysis so the MPO and FDOT can consider speed-limit adjustments, driveway consolidation or other countermeasures.

No formal board action was recorded at the Oct. 9 MPO meeting on these CAC requests; the CAC asked staff for an update at its November meeting.