Largo staff, consultants outline multimodal options for Clearwater–Largo Road to protect students walking to Mildred Helms Elementary

City of Largo officials and consultants on Tuesday presented the results of a multi‑year technical review and public outreach process for Clearwater–Largo Road, proposing changes intended to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety near Mildred Helms Elementary.

The presentation, led by Jared Schneider of Kimley Horn and summarized by city staff, said three scenarios were evaluated: (A) minor improvements and enhanced landscaping with a mid‑block crossing; (B) adding on‑street bicycle lanes and a buffer; and (C) repurposing a travel lane to create a wider sidewalk/shared‑use path with landscaping buffers. Schneider said the wider sidewalk option, scenario C, emerged as the recommended alternative after engagement: “Nearly 70% of the survey responses keyed in on that scenario C, that wider sidewalk,” he said.

Why it matters: the study area is a six‑lane stretch of Clearwater–Largo Road with a posted speed limit of 35 mph and an 80th‑percentile speed measured around 44–45 mph. Staff and consultants flagged the proximity of the curbside sidewalk to high‑speed traffic as a particular concern for schoolchildren walking to Mildred Helms Elementary and recommended physical separation where feasible.

Key findings and numbers - Roadway today: six travel lanes with a dedicated left‑turn lane, approximately 17,000 vehicles per day in the study segment. - Safety record: about 181 crashes over the last five years; the presentation noted one pedestrian fatality in that period. - Speed data: posted limit 35 mph; 80th‑percentile speeds recorded in the mid‑40s. - Public outreach: an initial survey drew roughly 300 responses; Schneider said many respondents reported they did not feel comfortable walking or biking along the corridor. - Cost estimates: scenario A (minor median/landscape and crossing) under $200,000; scenarios B and C (lane repurposing and wider sidewalk/shared path) roughly $5,000,000 each, with caveats about possible utility or right‑of‑way costs.

County coordination and jurisdiction City staff emphasized that portions of Clearwater–Largo Road south of West Bay Drive are under Pinellas County jurisdiction. Barry (city staff) told the commission that Pinellas County traffic staff had not rejected changes but asked for further technical evaluation and public outreach. The project received a Forward Pinellas grant to fund the technical analysis and outreach, and city staff said the next steps include additional coordination with county staff and Fort Pinellas.

Traffic operations and design considerations Consultants modeled traffic with a conservative 1% annual growth rate to 2045 and concluded the scenarios would operate at acceptable levels, although repurposing a lane would change how lanes transition north and south of West Bay Drive. Schneider said the intersection geometry controls capacity at West Bay Drive and that landscaping and medians could create a calming “tunnel” effect to reduce speeds. The consultants noted right‑of‑way is constrained and that some curb/utility work could be required for the larger options.

Commissioner comments and follow up Commissioners pressed on funding and phasing. A city representative said the county would likely look to the city to implement changes and that county cost participation is possible but not guaranteed. Several commissioners supported exploring grant sources and phasing smaller safety measures now, such as school‑zone treatments, while studying larger construction. Barry (city staff) said short‑term improvements were identified in the report and that staff will pursue a phased approach alongside continued county coordination.

Next steps Staff will take commission feedback into the final report, continue coordination with Pinellas County and Fort Pinellas, and pursue additional public outreach and grant opportunities. The presentation noted a separate county project on West Bay Drive is at 90% design and expected to move to construction in FY26, and staff said they will coordinate the city’s efforts with county timeline where appropriate.

Ending: The presentation closed with staff asking commissioners for direction on next steps; no formal action or vote was taken during the work session.