Elevated mess
by Jim @ Gandy Plaza
This is the unfortunate outlook we could face if they continue with this ridiculous conception of an overpass on top of Gandy. THEA does not care about the outcome of Gandy Blvd. and of South Tampa, they are looking for revenue and to see how they can keep their own jobs secure. It is the City of Tampa’s fault for approving so many housing permits to construct condos, homes, and town homes in such a small congested neighborhood. It’s like putting 10 pounds of materiel in a 2 pound bag. The city is looking out for their own revenue, permits, code enforcement anything to have a continuous flow of revenue coming into the city. That’s why mayor Pam Iorio is in favor she wants the jobs, labors, companies anything to keep the city’s revenue coming in. That’s fine, but little does she realize is the local strip centers, stores, restaurants, gas stations, any business that would be affected from this project, the revenue generated from these businesses would decrease. For instance, 1% sales tax collected for The City of Tampa, 6% sales tax collected for the State of Florida. If the City of Tampa doesn’t care about 1% sales tax maybe we should be writing Tallahassee, because I am sure they would care about loosing 6% sales tax on everything. So I think everyone who lives and works in South Tampa should be aware of what is happening to their community, and EVERYONE should have a vote on what the neighborhood wants.
I think that EVERY address in South Tampa should have a ballot mailed to them and allow them to vote on this project and have them send it back to who ever would be in charge, or we should put up a ballot, and petition on our web site (SAVE GANDY .COM) so people can vote on there and we can keep track of them. I hope our web site reaches all of our community, and neighbors to let them be aware of what’s happening in their neighborhood.
by Kathy from Tampa.
Last night I went to one of the Tampa Bay Area Rapid Transportation Authority (TBARTA) presentations. The speaker presented some information that may be of interest to this group.
In actual numbers (not density) there are more jobs in the West Shore Corridor than there are in downtown Tampa. That may suggest that a more useful alternative to moving Pinellas traffic through South Tampa would be to put an elevated roadway above West Shore between Gandy and Kennedy. I’m not suggesting since as everybody in Culbreath Key would be at my throat.
The second piece of possibly useful information concerns the Howard Frankland Bridge. One span of the bridge is already programmed to be replaced. It is be re-built with an option to expand it to accommodate a light rail track lane. It seems to me that if if can be expanded to fit a light rail lane, it can be further expanded to accomodate an evacuation lane, and probably at a cost well below $138 million. The lane can be used in daily operations as a reversible rush hour expansion lane (in bound in the morning, out bound in the afternoon).
by Kathy from Tampa.
The issue that has been gnawing at me concerns the use of an elevated Gandy as an evacuation route. Traffic on an elevated Gandy will compete with all other traffic entering the Crosstown. Unless there is a move to widen the Crosstown, traffic will back up on any elevated roadway and will NOT relieve traffic backed up on the existing Gandy bridge or the ground level Gandy Blvd.
Also, unless there is a move to widen the existing Gandy bridge and Gandy Blvd in Pinellas, afternoon westbound traffic on the elevated roadway will compete with traffic on Gandy entering the bridge, thereby backing up traffic on the elevated Gandy. Any elevated roadway will NOT alleviate traffic. Simple physics will tell you that it can’t.
by Jim @ Gandy Plaza
To my last email I wrote, I forgot the most important thing. When I was talking to that THEA Director, I ask why spend so much money if we are looking to take about 20 to 40 % cars off Gandy Blvd. Spending that much money for lets say 40% it is about 22,000 cars or less, at $138,000,000.00 is foolish. He said that THEA`s predictions is to take some cars off of the Howard Franklin and other roads (about 7,000 to 10,000 + cars) and encourage people to use Gandy. So I said you WANT more cars because you are looking out for your pockets. More cars traveled the more tolls paid. What about the increased traffic from the Gandy bridge to 4th street, St. Pete. Are you going to put up another bridge or express lanes in the middle so you can charge another toll? What about the ware and tear of the Gandy Bridge for the increase traffic of cars and trucks, so you would also increase that ware and tear and be forced to spend MORE money to keep the Gandy Bridge from becoming like the Friendship Trail Bridge. Keep that money for our existing bridges. I know, if you do not ues it you loose it. Then take that money and fix the Friendship Trail Bridge, so we can still keep the record as the longest walking bridge in the world. Then the director and his partner had to force me away and say that this meeting is OVER.
by Linda @ Triage Consignment Showcase.
Last week I talked to a very regular customer of mine. She is a commuter from St Pete. First of all she said she has a Citgo gas card and for her entire life as a commuter she always filled up there on Friday after work. Now with the median she has found another more convenient gas station. She said she used to come by my store more regularly but the construction along Gandy puts her in such a sour mood, she just drives through the mess these days. Continue reading ‘A real concern.’
by Linda @ Triage Consignment Showcase.
Gandy is in District 7 which is Rose Ferlita. She can be reached through the Hillsborough County Government homepage and emailed opposition letters! She serves on the advisory board , everyone should scrutinize her representation. To the best of my knowledge, Ms. Ferlita has not voiced opposition or expressed concerned for the businesses who will die. She is elected BY US and expected to SERVE the community and REPRESENT us.
The same holds true for our Mayor, Pam Iorio,…..It is my understanding that the Department of Transportation (Florida) government was the originator of this “study”. It is bewildering to understand the flow of this travesty.
It is extremely insightful if you go to the website for the Hillsborough County Crosstown Expressway Authority:http://www.tampa-xway.com
In the left hand column you will see a grey highlighted area concerning Gandy. Read all of the articles that have been printed since the beginning of time. It is ironic how this has been opposed and duly noted since 1987 and yet the monster continues to grow and raise it’s ugly head. These are the things I believe. I believe that Mr. Hargrett (president of THEA) should be held accountable for the letter he wrote to the media last July (the letter is on the website I mentioned)…..I believe we have been duped from the beginning. The current road median construction project is NOT a beautification project! They have reduced our roadway, drastically reduced the ability to get to storefronts and are CREATING THE GROUND ELEVATION FOR THE SUPER OVERPASS WITH NO REGARD FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE RUINED!. Continue reading ‘A Graveyard under the overpass!’
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