Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Corridor topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ford Pinellas lays out multimodal study for East Bay Drive and Roosevelt Boulevard
Summary
Ford Pinellas presented a three‑phase corridor study for East Bay Drive and Roosevelt Boulevard focused on safety, multimodal mobility and prioritized recommendations; staff and commissioners discussed signal timing, bus stop placement, pedestrian crossings and the limited right‑of‑way.
Nosheen Roman, principal planner at Ford Pinellas, briefed the Largo City Commission on an ongoing corridor study of East Bay Drive and Roosevelt Boulevard that spans from 20th Street (just west of HCA Florida Hospital) to Lightwave Drive, near St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport. Roman said the project is split into three phases: FDOT‑led corridor context and existing‑conditions analysis, a current multimodal mobility evaluation and a final phase to prioritize recommendations and funding pathways.
Roman told commissioners the corridor is heavily auto‑oriented but has “very high demand for safer multimodal options,” and that the phase‑one safety analysis shows rising crash totals over recent years with particular increases in bicycle and pedestrian collisions. She identified high travel demand between Keene Road and U.S. 19 and pedestrian activity hotspots at Alt 19, Highland and King Road, and said Ford Pinellas will target relatively low‑cost, short‑term improvements where right‑of‑way is limited.
During a prolonged Q&A, commissioners pressed staff on signal timing, speed management and driveway access. Roman said Ford Pinellas is coordinating with Pinellas County Public Works, FDOT and PSTA to evaluate ITS/ATMS technologies that can improve signal timing and pedestrian crossing sequences. She explained the difference between posted and “target” speeds and noted that a redesign on a portion of East Bay is intended to functionally target 40 mph even where posted limits vary.
Several commissioners raised repeated concerns about bus stops blocking intersections and asked whether bus cutouts or moving stops to the leeward side of intersections could reduce queueing. Roman said stop location and cutouts are FDOT/PSTA issues tied to right‑of‑way but that the project will study before‑and‑after transit impacts as PSTA increases route frequency (Route 52LX moves from 30‑minute to 15‑minute headways on Oct. 26).
Commissioners and staff also discussed crossing treatments for long, six‑lane segments of Roosevelt Boulevard. Ideas included rapid‑flashing beacons or tomahawk crossings, pedestrian refuges in medians, and more ambitious concepts such as elevated pedestrian roundabouts or grade‑separated crosswalks. Roman cautioned elevated structures would need substantial grant funding but said she would relay innovative concepts to consultants.
Roman emphasized the study will consider connectivity within a roughly half‑mile radius of the corridor so recommendations can address both on‑corridor improvements and adjacent pedestrian linkages. The work is intended to produce an action plan that identifies prioritized projects and funding strategies rather than a list that “sits there.” The commission provided feedback and several requests for follow‑up items for phase three.
