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Dr. Delay: How to find out if you qualify for a speed hump; updates on the Pinellas Bayway

 
Getting a speed hump is not necessarily a simple procedure. Times files.
Getting a speed hump is not necessarily a simple procedure. Times files.
Published April 17, 2018

I live in St. Pete and would like to know how I could go about getting a speed hump installed on my street. Where do I start?

Manuel Reyes, St. Petersburg

The place to start would be by contacting the St. Petersburg Neighborhood Transportation Manager, Michael Frederick, at (727) 893-7843 or Michael.Frederick@stpete.org, but be warned that the process is not that easy. Frederick said he gets about 10 to 12 calls a day from people seeking speed humps, but only about 10 percent of them result in actual speed humps.

Frederick said after he receives a complaint, the city does a 24-hour surveillance study on the neighborhood to calculate the average speed on a random weekday. If they find the average speed is above 35 mph, the complaint warrants enough merit to get a petition started, which two-thirds of the neighborhood must sign. Then the city comes up with a proposal, which the neighborhood association must approve.

Sometimes, if a neighborhood doesn't qualify for a speed hump, flashing signs that tell passing drivers their speed are installed as part of traffic calming education initiatives, he said.

What's the status of the new Pinellas Bayway bridge?

Natalie Reeder

We asked Kris Carson of the Florida Department of Transportation for the latest update on the Bayway bridge project, which will replace the existing two-lane drawbridge between Isla Del Sol and Tierra Verde with a two-lane fixed bridge.

"We are in the process of selecting a design-build team for the project," Carson said. "We anticipate having the design-build team on board later this summer. Because this is a design-build project, the winning contractor will be responsible for both the design and construction. Once we have a contractor on board we will have a better idea of when construction activities will begin."

Construction is expected to last about three years.

Email Dr. Delay at docdelay@gmail.com to share your traffic concerns and follow @AskDrDelay.