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Selmon Extension Idea Revived

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By RICH SHOPES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 13, 2008

SOUTH TAMPA - From the porch of the Gandy Bait and Tackle shop owned by his father for 20 years, Zack Robinson can catch a glimpse of the future.

He doesn't much like what he sees. The state Department of Transportation is building a 30-foot wide median that will block access for customers traveling from Pinellas County. They'll need to drive past the shop to West Shore Boulevard then hang a U-turn.

"If you're towing a boat, no way you can make that turn," he said.

The more distant future has Robinson equally worried. After a request by the city and the state, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority is launching a study into whether it should extend the Selmon Crosstown Expressway to the Gandy Bridge, or develop some other toll road.

The expressway now ends at the eastern edge of Dale Mabry Highway. If the road is extended, Gandy Bait and Tackle, on the north side of Gandy Boulevard, might literally operate in the shadow of the crosstown. So could dozens of other businesses along Gandy.

"There'll be a lot of people who won't want to deal with it," Robinson said, adding he might need an oversized sign to get people to even notice the shop.

Decried by businesses and community leaders for more than 20 years, the crosstown extension idea is slowly building momentum again.

The expressway authority thinks the idea might get a warmer welcome now because of traffic in South Tampa and the region. Between 42,000 and 48,500 cars use the road daily, according to traffic counts from last year.

Executive director Joseph Waggoner insists the authority won't build the connector if it's opposed by the community.

There's little doubt, however, traffic would lessen if Pinellas motorists didn't have to use Gandy Boulevard on their way to the crosstown, he said.

Motorists coming off the bridge must drive about two miles on Gandy to get to the crosstown's entrance at Dale Mabry.

"A large part of the traffic coming off that bridge, I don't think is destined for businesses or the community along Gandy. I think it's through-traffic," said Waggoner. "If we can facilitate that through-traffic and help the community by doing that, and that revenue stream is big enough to help us build it, that's what we're looking at."

Over the next month, the authority will talk with business and community leaders about forming a "project advisory group" to explore the connector idea.

A consultant hired by the authority will examine how many cars drive through South Tampa from the bridge to the crosstown, the impact of those cars on local traffic and business, and whether it makes financial sense to the authority to extend the Selmon, a toll road.
Waggoner said it could be a year before the authority and community know enough about the impact and costs to make a decision. Five years ago, officials estimated that an elevated structure on Gandy would cost $250 million.

No matter the outcome, Waggoner said, the authority isn't going to force the community to accept a project it doesn't want.

"We're not going to say, 'You come up with a solution that suits us.' We're going to say, 'You come up with a solution that you think we can come to a general agreement on,'" Waggoner said.

Al Steenson, president of the Gandy/Sunbay South Civic Association, is among those who thinks the time might be right to at least study the connector idea.

A diehard opponent only a few years ago, Steenson said he's noticed an up-tick in traffic in South Tampa.

A straight shot from Pinellas to the Selmon also would come in handy in the event of a hurricane.

"I don't want to sound like I'm in favor of it, but I want to listen to what people have to say," he said.

Gene Wells, former president of Ballast Point Neighborhood Association, said he's willing to listen, too, and would be willing to serve on a citizen's task force. "I'd like to hear the road numbers."

For others, the connector idea elicits groans.

Ellen Nimon of the Regency Cove mobile home park, an over-55 community on the north side of Gandy Boulevard, said she doubts the expressway authority really wants to hear South Tampa residents.

Regency Cove has opposed the connector idea for years and complained when an alternate - a median with turn lanes - was proposed.

The median project, which started in January, is supposed to ease traffic by providing through-lanes and turn lanes. Drivers will be able to cross and make U-turns at eight intersections.

The median is 30 feet wide to allow for landscaping, easy U-turns and for future turn lanes if they're needed.

But many in South Tampa say the real reason the Department of Transportation wanted the wide median was to allow for an elevated expressway. The department denies that but isn't opposed to the idea of an elevated road.

"The only reason to put in a 30-foot median is to have room for the piers for an overhead expressway," said Nimon. "This won't go away. It's going to go on until they get what they want.

"The neighbors have already told them they don't want the overhead Selmon going through," she said.

Dave Gutcher, president elect of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce, said an expressway cutting through South Tampa would hurt businesses because drivers on their way home from work won't stop for gas or to shop.

The project would also hurt South Tampa's ambience, he said, particularly the neighborhoods south of Gandy.

"Not only will they be cut off, how would you like to have an expressway next to your house, with all that noise and traffic?" he said.
Waggoner said numerous public meetings with residents will be held over the next year before any decision is made. He expects the advisory board to start meeting in September.

Meanwhile, a public meeting of city, state and expressway officials to discuss traffic in South Tampa will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. July 29 at the Jan K. Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave.

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

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