PINELLAS PARK, Fla. -- An 18-year-old man was killed on Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park while crossing in the crosswalk. That prompted a Bay News 9 viewer to ask our Real-Time Traffic Expert Chuck Henson what is being done to make the roadway safer.
- Pedestrian safety a concern on Park Blvd.
- Cars constantly speeding; ignoring crosswalk signal
- Two pedestrians, motorcyclist recently killed
Keeping cars within a reasonable speed on our roads is a constant problem and on busy straight stretches of road like Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, speeds can reach more than seventy miles per hour, according to Bay News 9 viewer Greg Larison.
Two pedestrians were killed recently in crosswalks with warning lights on Park Blvd., as well as a motorcyclist killed.
Chuck Henson contacted our commissioners and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office about Park Blvd. being a race track and never seeing patrolling being done.
The posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour, but Jackie Olivis said cars driving much faster than that make it hard for her to cross the street, even in the protected crosswalks.
"Well, for the most part, when people press the button to cross, drivers ignore it or they speed up," Olivis said.
Chuck Henson went to check it out, and the first time he tried to cross at the Wagon Wheel Flea Market crosswalk, a number of cars drove right through the crosswalk.
When asked about any current or future speed and crosswalk enforcement, the sheriff's office said there is currently a dedicated traffic unit for speed enforcement.
"Our number one goal is traffic safety and get people to comply, we will work diligently with our law enforcement partners to accomplish this," Dan DiFrancesco with the sheriff's office said.
Tom Washburn with Pinellas County Traffic Management also said the county is planning to upgrade the crosswalk at the Wagon Wheel Flea Market to a fully functional traffic signal.
Even with any future enforcement, it is never a good idea to step out into traffic, even in a protected crosswalk, until you are certain the cross traffic sees you and has stopped.
Have a traffic issue you want attention brought to? Email Chuck Henson at chuck.henson@charter.com.