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Dr. Delay: Confusing striping at Ulmerton and Roosevelt is temporary

 
Lorrie Lykins
Lorrie Lykins
Published Dec. 5, 2017

Heading east where Roosevelt Boulevard joins Ulmerton Road, the inside lane of Roosevelt is confusing where the roads merge. If a driver uses the lane striping on their right as their guide, they are in one lane, and if they stay to the left, they are in another lane of Ulmerton Road. If they can't make up their mind about which lane they should be in, there could be a collision. Any plans to make this less confusing?

Tom Miller

This is a question several readers have asked in recent weeks. We checked in with Kris Carson of the state Department of Transportation who told us that this is a temporary striping configuration. The final layer of asphalt is being put down this week and once that's complete, final lane striping will be added, which should be easier to follow, Carson said.

What's happening with the bridge construction on 40th Avenue N in St. Petersburg? It started before Hurricane Irma, but it hasn't been worked on since. The orange and white barriers appear dangerous and it's closed to bicycle traffic.

Peggy Lubke

We checked in with the city's public works department for an update and learned from spokesman Bill Logan that the city is vetting bids from qualified engineering firms to lead the project to address issues with the bridge that connects Shore Acres and Venetian Isles with the Old Northeast and Northeast Park neighborhoods. The selection of a firm will be made sometime this month, Logan said.

Once a contractor is secured, the next step will be public outreach on the part of the city to share information and seek input from stakeholders such as residents, motorists, and boaters. This will be in the form of public events at which time everyone is welcome to weigh in on the design of the project and help determine what the community needs. We will provide updates and information once those events are scheduled.

Public hearings will be followed by the design phase and approval, and finally, construction, meaning this will be a long process, and folks should be prepared for this.

In the meantime, the posted 15 mph speed limit, weight restrictions, and path along the edges of the span with the orange and white barrels will remain in place.

Barricade watch

The closure of 143rd Street at 93rd Avenue N for storm drain and manhole improvement is scheduled to continue until Dec. 12. Detours will remain in place until then.

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