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Yield becomes stop at north St. Petersburg intersection

 
Some yield signs have been replaced with stop signs at the intersection of 62nd Avenue N and Fourth Street.
Some yield signs have been replaced with stop signs at the intersection of 62nd Avenue N and Fourth Street.
Published Oct. 22, 2014

Some drivers have not noticed that after the refurbishment of Fourth Street, at the intersection of 62nd Avenue N, traffic turning to head north or south on Fourth Street N using Washington Circle now has new stop signs to heed. But when turning off Fourth Street N to go east or west, we still have yield signs. Why the change from yield to stop? I personally noticed it, but asked myself when that changed. Is there any chance that the yield signs can be returned to like it was before?

Donny Mixon

First, the new stop signs are permanent — there is no chance that the former yield signs will be restored. Here's why: New pedestrian crosswalks have been added across both the northbound and southbound approaches coming off 62nd Avenue N to Fourth Street. The state Department of Transportation installed the stop signs to replace the yield signage as part of this pedestrian-friendly improvement.

It's critical that motorists comply with the new stop signs; we visited the intersection last week and watched vehicle after vehicle roll through the stop sign and sail out onto Fourth Street without pausing.

Kindly check on the reason the new seawall project on the north end of Tierra Verde (Pinellas Bayway) is taking so long. The project has been going on for many months, now no activity at all for weeks. The job site looks like everyone just quit mid-course; it looks abandoned. One of two lanes was removed from use and this makes pedestrian and bike travel risky. Is there a forecast for completion?

Hal Cusick

Your observation that the project appears abandoned is spot-on: It indeed has been deserted, according to Kris Carson, spokeswoman for the DOT.

"The DOT's contractor, The Gulf Group, abandoned the project and they demobilized from the project site,'' she said.

Given the circumstances, estimating a time frame for getting this wrapped up is impossible — the DOT has to hire another contractor, which requires working through specific procedures. In the meantime, Carson says, the DOT's Pinellas maintenance office will level the area by the seawall and hydro seed the exposed soil to prevent erosion until another contractor can come on board and start setting things right.

Contact Dr. Delay at docdelay@gmail.com, or P.O. Box 4954, Seminole, FL 33775, to share your traffic concerns, comments and questions. Follow @AskDrDelay.