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Gandy adding 'personality'

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 13, 2009

SOUTH TAMPA - Jerry Frankhouser said he has learned to turn out of the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot onto Gandy Boulevard to make a U-turn and get back to his Bayside West house.

It took patience and some practice to make the move seamless. As president of the Bayside West Neighborhood Association, Frankhouser said, he is one of many people learning to deal with the aftermath of safety and aesthetic changes to a stretch of Gandy Boulevard between the Gandy Bridge and Dale Mabry Highway.

"There'll be a little training session as people get used to the traffic patterns but we're thankful for the upgrade," Frankhouser said. "It looks nice. It's got personality."

He said many people speak favorably of the project. Two notable exceptions: merchants who say new Gandy Boulevard medians limit access to their businesses; and residents of the Regency Cove community, who now must make U-turns when exiting their neighborhood to head east on Gandy, or when entering from the west.

The good news for residents is the $20 million project, including $161,000 in landscaping, almost is complete - ahead of schedule by a couple of months.

Jamie Pilarczyk

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