Save Gandy.com

Make your voice heard!.

The idea of an elevated road down Gandy is absolutely ridiculous….
1) The argument of it helping St Pete during a hurricane evacuation does not even live up to basic math. When a huge hurricane hits all lanes will be open heading East on the Gandy bridge (like New Orleans did). A 4 lane bridge into a 4 lane road (Gandy “Corridor”) and then into a 4 lane highway (crosstown) as is current. What will two additional lanes 30 feet in the air do for this evacuation route? NOTHING! It will be nothing more than an additional choke point / 30 foot high parking lot. As for traffic needing to head West during this horrible scenario, there are streets to the North and South of Gandy that can facilitate this.
2) The second top argument, of traffic issues for “Gandy Corridor” in the future.” We just got done redesigning the street thanks to the state and traffic is flowing just fine, much better than before. Not to mention the only time there is a traffic problem is 249 days out of the year, 365 days minus weekends and holidays. Of those 249 days you have two hours of heavy traffic in the morning and two hours in the evening, 4 out of 24 hours which turns out to be 16.6% of the time during work days (249) there’s heavy traffic on “Gandy Corridor”. So, the percentage for the whole year is 11.3% of the time there is extra/heavy traffic on Gandy Blvd.

To build an eyesore such as this in close proximity to neighborhoods, to put businesses and local jobs in jeopardy, spend $130 million dollars on a .25 cent, 2 lane, 2 mile toll road all for 11% of time issue is RIDICULOUS!!!

Listed below are the voting board members of the Expressway Authority who will be voting on the proposed Gandy Boulevard Overhead expressway project.

Video courtesy of 10connects.com
TV broadcast September 2009

Post by DrH300
via Wtsp.com -10connects, online comment

I’ve lived in this area most of my life. I agree we’re not having our voices heard. This is an eyesore and will redefine the area as such. It’s true that study is worthless. In addition to the suspect nature of the relationship between the report director and the expressway director, it didn’t even address the effect on decreasing residential market values. No doubt they will. No doubt THAT study was not done for a reason. When commercial buildings remain vacant, they will rezone the area for its “best use”. I’m sure “heavy commercial” type zoning will eventually come and any freed up traffic flow can be used for the new semi-trailer traffic that will come afterward. Seriously…the cross-town authority was going to build this ugly beast regardless of what they told residents and whether the residents opposed it. It’s all about money. This area is one of Tampa’s best kept secrets. Now, it’ll be a mini-Detroit. C’mon people, it’s only a few traffic lights! I have no prob’s with Gandy traffic at rush hours, especially since the new construction and the no left turns (not a fan, but it does speed things up). The residents said NO! So much for them keeping their word – NO to this concrete monstrosity!

Brandon Overhead Toll Road. A concrete monster is born.                                     Would a similar project benefit our neighborhood?  We the community think not!

Rose has asked for information.  Maybe we can send her an email with our thoughts.

Please read below.

January 5, 2010

Dear Neighborhood Leader,

Final decisions on the viability of the Gandy Boulevard Overhead Expressway Project will soon be made.  It will be presented to the Florida Department of Transportation and then to the Board of the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) later in February 2010 for a public hearing and final vote.

South Tampa, of course, is part of my District.  I always appreciate input and feedback from my constituents so this is the reason for my request.

I would like to know if your association has voted and taken a formal position on this project.  It is important to me to know the feelings of citizens affected by different projects.  Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season.  Wishing you all the best in 2010.

Warmest regards,

Rose

Photograph News Channel8  John Winterrrowd

News flash title SaveGandy.com

By JAMIE PILARCZYK

jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com

First published January 15 2009

GANDY/SUN BAY SOUTH – While about 70 residents showed up at the Gandy/Sun Bay South Civic center Thursday night with grievances in mind, they walked away with solutions in hand.

Their main concern was about what they are sure will be a problem: runoff traffic from the Wal-Mart Super Store just days away from construction on the southwest corner of Gandy Boulevard and Lois Avenue.

“It’s frustrating for this neighborhood and it’s going to get continually worse,” said Mildred McFadden, who has lived on Pearl Avenue since 1960, a stretch between Lois Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway that has become a favorite cut-through for drivers avoiding Gandy Boulevard.

County Commissioner Rose Ferlita promised to be a conduit between the community and Wal-Mart. The city’s transportation division manager, Tony Rodriguez, promised to follow up post-construction to study whether Pearl Avenue is being used as a cut-through.

Al Steenson, the civic association president, said he’d work on establishing a hotline for residents to report traffic violations near Wal-Mart.

And while he recommended to the city council they not attend the meeting because of Wal-Mart’s upcoming wet zoning hearing, council attorney Martin Shelby said he’d take residents’ concerns to the city council about the lack of law enforcement for trucks illegally using Pearl Avenue.

“It’s not a perfect situation, but I see they are working with you,” said Ferlita, who has no jurisdiction over the issue. “When development and the neighborhood work together, it can be tolerable.”

While still awaiting formal approval from the Florida Department of Transportation, Scott Gilner, project engineer with Kimley-Horn and Associates, said they have a dedicated right-turn lane on Gandy heading eastbound with one entrance into the Wal-Mart that includes a right-turn out of the store.

The single, left-turn lane on Gandy to Lois extends 785 feet from the light back. There will be two accesses on Lois with a dedicated right-turn lane off of Lois into Wal-Mart that both include right and left turns both in and out.

Engineers for the project said they have followed city codes and don’t anticipate there being a traffic problem. If there is, though, they reassured that it would be addressed.

“We will work with the community and if you feel there is a cut-through problem, we’ll come out, do traffic studies and try to mitigate it,” Rodriguez said.

The stretch of Pearl Avenue from Lois east is not a truck route. If trucks are using it, it is illegal and needs to be enforced, Rodriguez said of McFadden’s lament.

Some weren’t appeased.

“It’s seems to me like the city is saying, ‘We know there’s a bomb down there but we’re going to wait until it goes off before we do anything about it,’” said Joseph Booker, who lives on West Shore Circle.

But some were.

“I think ultimately it will bring people to the area to shop and will attract other reputable business that will help clean-up the area,” said Lee Sheldon of Gandy/Sun Bay South.

Linda Bell, owner of Triage Consignment, wasn’t able to attend the meeting to voice her support for Wal-Mart. As its neighbor on Lois, Bell said the growth is good for the neighborhood with the additional taxes that Wal-Mart will be contributing.

“They’ve gone above and beyond the call of a retail giant to alleviate the concerns of the local residents,” Bell said. “And I think it’s time we just let them go with it.”

Demolition is expected to begin on the 12.8-acre property within 60 days. Construction should follow soon after with an opening expected for early 2010, said lawyer Jim Porter of Ruden McClosky who represents Wal-Mart.

It will use xeriscaping, drip-irrigation and will recycle as much as they are able of the existing buildings for use as a concrete base on the new store.

The 140,000-square-foot super center will include traditional Wal-Mart merchandise plus a full grocery store and a 6,000-square-foot garden center. Porter said they will seek a permit to sell beer and wine only.

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661.

Ghost Town formally known as Gandy Blvd

From email response Sat, Nov 14, 2009 8:13 am

Subject: Re: Gandy Overhead Expressway
Bill,

Being a Mayor and running a beach community for ten years I’ve evacuated thousands of people from the beach several times. We didn’t need overhead expressways to do it.

To move traffic from the Gandy bridge to the expressway is only one mile, and all you have to do is direct ALL lanes east bound (no west bound) to the expressway. You have two entrances to the expressway, one off gandy and one on Dale Mabry.

There is no reason to disturb a quiet south Tampa neighborhood and destroy properties and values when there are other ways to achieve a solution to the problem.

Don Taber, former Mayor Indian Shores, FL

Video taken 6 February 2007

Al Steenson, President, Gandy Civic Association and member of the MPO Citizens Advisory Committee, testifies before MPO for FULL FUNDING of the Promised Gandy Enhancement.

Toll bridge disaster

Main Steet now affectionately known as Ghost Town

Email dated 11 March 2009

I am looking forward to our next informal meeting tomorrow to discuss action our local residents and merchants can take to avoid and petition the proposed Crosstown Expressway Extension at Gandy.  I copied and attached to this email an old article referring the railroad south of Gandy and its potential for a tollway back in 1987.  Also attached to this email for your review is the formal presentation for the extension now featured on the THEA website.  I believe this proposal will be the end for any business that currently enjoys drive-by and walk-in customers from the Gandy roadway. Tomorrow Mikael and I are meeting with Al Steenson of the Gandy Civic Association to discuss and plan our objections.

The THEA Community Advisory Board was selected by the Hillsborough Crosstown Expressway Authority for the sole purpose of viewing and discussing plans for a toll road.  The final Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for April.  By then, if no public objections are noticed, the toll road could become reality!  We need help.

Because Mikael of Scan Design serves on the Advisory Board, he was forwarded the following email correspondence that originated from me.  This email includes  FOR YOUR FILES AND RECORDS the email addresses for those individuals who serve on this advisory board.  It is imperative our voices are heard! See you all tomorrow and I hope you can bring more signatures for our petitions!

Linda Bell

A dysfunctional toll booth

Email dated 25 February 2009

Dear Project Advisory Group,

This e-mail is being sent to you because Ms. Linda Bell, at the Triage Consignment Shop in Gandy, has asked for the names of the Project Advisory Group (PAG) members so that she may directly discuss the study with you.  I wanted to give you notice that we have provided her with that information (attached).

In our first meeting with you on the Gandy study, THEA emphasized the need for clear, open, and honest communication.  When sharing information, understanding “who said what” can be as important as “what was said.”  Our e-mail below, to Linda, is a good example.

Linda is concerned about the THEA proposal for an elevated bypass of Gandy Boulevard.  Her understanding of the proposal comes from stories and articles that have been in the media. In this case we believe she is referencing a story from Tampa Bay 10 News. The link to that story below is provided for your use.

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid824&catid=8 ***

The reporter’s comments in that story incorrectly attribute the THEA proposal to the PAG.  In our response to Linda we make it clear that the current proposal is THEA’s response to issues and concerns expressed by the PAG.

In our e-mail to Linda we have made this clear.  We also provided Linda with a more complete overview of the proposal, and offered to meet with her and other business owners for additional discussions.

As you know, we are working on additional analysis that will be presented to the PAG in our April 14^th meeting at Monroe Middle School. If you have questions, or would like us to present to your Board or Group before then, we will make ourselves available.

Your hard work on this project is appreciated.

Thanks again,

Joe

813.272.6740 office

Joe Waggoner, Executive Director

Tampa-Hillsborough County

Expressway Authority

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority is a public agency subject to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes concerning public records.

*** Please note: Link provided on original email does not seem to work !!! ??