Complaints seem to go in waves, and one of the biggest crests in recent months has been the wailings about the intersection of 118th Avenue N and 49th Street west of the new ramps to Interstate 275.
The timing of the traffic lights there has been a bear for the county almost since the connector road was finished. During the morning rush, for example, when the pressure is on eastbound 118th, the timing of the signals has backed up traffic on occasion all the way across U.S. 19.
Past problems have included the length of the green arrows for the double left-turn lanes from southbound 49th Street onto eastbound 118th. Those seem to be fixed now, but problems on 118th persist.
The county roadies tell me they are aware of the aggravations and have been working for weeks to come up with some sort of traffic light timing that will work for all directions. They think they have a fix, but they caution that it will take a while to implement.
We'll let you know when it's done, though I suppose those of you who drive through the intersection will notice the change before I hear about it.
Meanwhile, know that the county roadies are striving to help and be patient, though it must be hard when you're idling away $2.10 gasoline as a traffic signal cycles and recycles.
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We had another question about the lights at the intersection of Gulf Boulevard and 140th Avenue in Madeira Beach. Even in the predawn hours, the signal switched to a red for Gulf Boulevard and a green for 140th Avenue when there was no traffic on 140th Avenue waiting to access Gulf Boulevard.
The county roadies say they have been having sensor problems at that intersection. In other words, the machinery that is supposed to keep the green glowing for Gulf Boulevard when there is no traffic on 140th Avenue has been malfunctioning.
We are told that the problem has now been fixed.
And on behalf of our Gulf Beaches readers, we are grateful.
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Several readers have asked about two sets of left-turn lanes on 34th Street N (U.S. 19) between 50th and 60th avenues where the asphalt has been milled up and not replaced. The lanes have been left in disrepair for several months.
The state roadies say they will be repaved within two weeks.
Mark it on your calendars.
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If you had a television set on during the month of May, you would have been hard-pressed to miss the ads for the national "Click It or Ticket" campaign, wherein the U.S. Department of Transportation sent forth thousands of law enforcement personnel to come down hard on motorists who didn't have themselves and their children in proper restraints.
The effort will continue through this week and resume again from Aug. 27 to Sept. 12.
Data from the federal roadies show that among young men and women 16 to 24, seat belt use increased 7 percent during a similar ad push in May 2003, and was up 4 percent among the population as a whole.
This is better but not great.
It means belt use among 16- to 24-year-olds went from 65 to 72 percent for men, from 73 to 80 percent for women, and from 75 to 79 percent for the population as a whole.
Seat-belt and child-restraint enforcement appears to have wide public support. So we have to ask why the Florida Legislature hasn't passed a primary seat belt law.
Yes, it is Florida law that you and the kids must be properly restrained. But the police can't ticket you for driving without restraints unless they stop you for another traffic infraction, such as speeding. If you're not otherwise breaking a traffic law, you can't be stopped merely for not wearing a seat belt.
This is ludicrous in my humble opinion. How many lives does a secondary seat belt law cost the state of Florida?
Write your legislator today demanding a primary seat belt law. It will save lives.
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Harri Miller of St. Petersburg says he has encountered some confusion about whether it is permissible to make a right turn at an intersection with a turn arrow on red if there is no sign saying that right turns on red are not allowed.
The answer, in a word, is no.
There aren't that many right-turn arrow signals around because at most intersections a right-turn-on-red is legal. And where they aren't legal, there usually is signage to that effect.
At some problem intersections, and we have in mind the west end of the Bayway at Gulf Boulevard where a turn arrow goes red and green for traffic turning onto the northbound beach road, right-turn arrows are put up for emphasis.
When the right-turn arrow is green, you can proceed. When it's red, you cannot.
The same is true for left turns. Some intersections have left turn green arrows that go red when the turn cycle ends. You cannot turn while that arrow is red.
Other intersections have green turn arrows that just go off at the end of the turn cycle, while the full, round green goes on for through traffic.
At intersections where the turn arrow goes dark, you may still make a left turn as oncoming traffic flow permits on the green for through traffic. But use caution.
- Dr. Delay can be reached by e-mail at docdelay@sptimes.com by fax at 727 893-8675 or by snail mail at 490 First Ave., S, St. Petersburg 33701.
