ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pinellas County transportation leaders are working toward designing a project set to dramatically improve road safety in South St. Petersburg.
Forward Pinellas is helping develop upgrades for 18th Avenue South, from 16th St. to 34th St with the 18th Avenue South Complete Street Study.
The City of St. Petersburg came up with two alternatives and presented both options to the community. Overwhelmingly, community members chose the second alternative, according to Whit Blanton with Forward Pinellas.
MORE | See both options in the 18th Avenue South Complete Street Study
Under the second alternative, which features a more community-based roadway, drivers will see the corridor on 18th Avenue South transform from four lanes down to two lanes, forcing drivers to slow down.
"It's like a speedway through here," said one man who continually walks and occasionally bikes through the corridor.
"It's not intended to be a high-speed, pass-through, get through the neighborhood quickly roadway," Blanton said. "That's kind of how it operates today."
The project will also feature complete sidewalks on both sides and a shared-use on the north side of the road for people who want to walk or bike.
Forward Pinellas is still in the concept stage of this project, but they expect to have design funding by 2023.
