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Memo Opposes 2-Way Traffic

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By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2007

TAMPA - The push to turn Tampa Street and Florida, Howard and Armenia avenues into two-way streets has a new adversary: the city administration.

An Aug. 30 memo to the city council from Steve Daignault, administrator of public works and utilities services, recommends against the change.

Citing a study by state engineers, Daignault said the ramps to and from Interstate 275 and the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway would need to be reconstructed if the change were made, and the conversion would trigger backups or 'road failure.'

The council is supposed to get a briefing about the memo at its regular meeting Thursday, and Daignault said he or other staff will be there to answer questions.

The conversion idea has drawn support from council members Mary Mulhern and Linda Saul-Sena, who say it would slow traffic and help businesses.

They say they're disappointed the city staff sided with the state Department of Transportation.

'I would have rather had them say, 'Yes, let's look into this,' but I'm not really surprised. Change is difficult,' Mulhern said. 'What we're saying is we want more investigation, and we want some public input.'

Saul-Sena was more blunt. She said the state is more concerned about moving commuters in and out of Tampa than appeasing residents.

'They're not worried about the neighborhoods. Their mandate is to worry about the interstate,' she said. 'We have to look at the big picture and what's in the best interests of the city.'

Daignault said the administration is concerned about both. In this case, it sided with the state out of concern about traffic and providing access to I-275 and north Tampa.

'I think that argument has some good applications in certain locations. In other locations, it's not such a good argument,' he said.

The issue has percolated for years. The county's Metropolitan Planning Organization requested the DOT study in response to long-simmering neighborhood complaints. Businesses say they suffer because traffic moves in only one direction, limiting access to customers.

Residents who live near the roads complain about speeders and the difficulty of crossing the streets.

In July, the DOT recommended against the conversion, saying the change would mean a major reconfiguration of the ramps at I-275 and the Selmon and cause long backups.
Tampa Street and Florida, Howard and Armenia avenues are three lanes now. Making them two-way would allow only one lane in each direction with a center turning lane.

Mulhern agrees traffic could get backed up, but she said it might be worth it if businesses are helped and neighbors feel comfortable walking across the street.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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