PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County is working on a project to make road improvements on Nebraska Avenue in Palm Harbor.
This project is still in the design phase, but the county said the project proposed roadway, drainage, and sidewalk improvements along Nebraska Avenue.
Residents are not happy with the proposed project plans and started a petition against it, and they’ve already received hundreds of signatures.
The county said one of the proposed improvements in this project is to include a 10-foot wide multi-use trail on the North side of Nebraska Avenue. That portion of the project is really stirring up controversy among residents. People worry construction of the trail would mean cutting down trees on Nebraska Avenue.
“The trees are part of the atmosphere. We moved here to the nice residential street with the old canopy atmosphere," said neighbor Steve Ehlers.
Besides the fear of losing the trees, residents also have safety concerns.
"We have little kids coming from the elementary school down here on 15 and also from the middle school trying to get across the road. It's a dangerous situation,” Ada Henderson said.
Henderson is a Palm Harbor teacher. Her biggest concern is the safety of students who walk to school.
While the county said the project aims to make the route safer for children, Henderson thinks it will do the opposite.
“People are not safe on this road. If they do anything else to it, I'm afraid they are going to make it worse I'm afraid kids are going to get run over,” Henderson said.
Pinellas County released the following statement:
"The Nebraska Avenue Roadway Improvements Project is still early in the design phase. The design has changed significantly since it was first envisioned, particularly regarding tree preservation. Our aim is to make the route safer for schoolchildren and other pedestrians, improve drainage, and maintain the community’s charm. We are reviewing comments received from residents during a Project Information Meeting in February and in the months since, and we will continue to actively engage with the community."
Click here to read the project plans.
