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Driver Makes Case For More Green

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By HAROLD VALENTINE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 31, 2008

CARROLLWOOD - Carrollwood Village resident Alice Dicola uses the West Village Drive and Ehrlich Road intersection almost every day. There, she said she has noticed a dangerous pattern.
Dicola said the left-turn arrow at northbound Village Drive onto Ehrlich does not last long enough. She said two cars, or three at the most, get through before the green arrow expires.

Although a green light is available for through traffic after the arrow, traffic volume coming from southbound Hutchinson Road onto southbound Village Drive is so heavy that making the turn onto westbound Ehrlich is a risk.

"I'm surprised there aren't more accidents because people just don't want to wait for another light, so they go right through," Dicola said.

She said the left turn is especially difficult during afternoon rush hour, adding that a longer green left-turn arrow may discourage drivers from making a turn despite oncoming traffic.

Hillsborough County has a public customer service line at (813) 635-5400. Residents may ask an engineer to check problems and, after reviewing the site, the engineer would make a recommendation. Without a complaint, county officials say they won't know about many problems.
Speed Bumps
Another Carrollwood Village resident, Lynne Kaiser, wants to know "why they are putting in those stupid speed bumps on South Village Drive and Lowell" Road.

The traffic calming is part of an overall plan that includes Kaiser's neighborhood and Original Carrollwood.

Kaiser also may look forward to measures including speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed feedback signs, colored intersections and land narrowing on Casey Road and West Village Drive.

When measures for the plan began implementation in Original Carrollwood, many residents voiced disapproval, too. Though some have waited decades for calming, folks such as Bob Long said the sheer number of structures is overkill. Many of Long's neighbors agreed.

County spokesman Steve Valdez said measures are part of an overall community plan to calm traffic, as voted on by county commissioners and residents after public hearings.

"It's a Catch-22 deal," Valdez said. Many residents complained about traffic for years, but now that structures are being built, some are not happy.

He said six months after the project is completed, another study will be done to judge the effectiveness of reducing traffic volume and speed.

Ongoing Projects

Traffic projects under way are:

•In Town 'N Country, on Benjamin Road from John's Road to Flora Street, Verizon will be working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 21.

•Verizon also is working on Waters Avenue at Henderson Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 21.

•On Waters, Verizon is working at Twelve Oaks Boulevard from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 21.

•On Sheldon Road between Flora and Norfolk streets, pedestrian amenities are being installed between rush hours until June 12.

•Several fire hydrants are being installed on roads in between rush hours until June 13, including Sussex Drive, Oxford Drive, Mohr Road, Mohr Loop, Middlesex Drive and Liverpool Drive.

•Other fire hydrants being installed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 30 include River Road, Robson Street, Southbay Drive and West Cluster Avenue.

•In Keystone, on Gunn Highway between Van Dyke and Wayne roads, Verizon is working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 21.

•On Hutchinson Road, between Chastain Lane to N. Mobley Road, drainage improvements are being made between rush hours until Tuesday.

•In Carrollwood, on Nicklaus Circle from Laver Court to Nicklaus Circle's entrance, repair work is being done on a wastewater station around the clock until Friday.

•In Forest Hills on North Boulevard between 118th and West 122nd avenues, TECO is replacing damaged poles from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until June 13.

TRAFFIC CONCERNS?

Are there local traffic or road issues that concern you? Construction you wonder about or hazards other drivers should know about? If so, contact reporter Harold Valentine at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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