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Residents in Riverview and the surrounding area are invited to attend a public meeting this month sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). According to FDOT, the purpose of this meeting is to provide interested citizens the opportunity to comment on the proposed resurfacing and safety improvements to U.S. Hwy. 301 from Gibsonton Dr. to Bloomingdale Ave.
The project will include milling and resurfacing, replacing traffic signal loops, signing and pavement markings, and replacing existing traffic signals at Balm-Riverview Rd. and Riverview Dr. with mast arm signals.
FDOT initiated a safety study for the segment of U.S. Hwy. 301 from Pine Ave. to Lake St. Charles Blvd. As a result of the study, raised medians, bicycle lanes, pedestrian enhancements and improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be included in this project.
The open-house style meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 11 at the Barn at Winthrop located at 11349 Bloomingdale Ave. FDOT representatives will be available to answer questions from 5-7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation; however, residents will have an opportunity to view graphic displays that will show the median locations, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian enhancements.
John Barr, owner of Pioneer Tire & Auto Center which is located at 7015 U.S. Hwy. 301 S. in Riverview, along the impacted project area, is concerned about the proposed raised medians and its potential impact on new businesses.
"Many of our customers are established and have been coming to us for many years; however, you take a new business in the area where customers are trying to find it for the first time and now place medians down the middle of the road--it will definitely make it hard to access it," says Barr. "You might also be eliminating the customer who might otherwise make a spur of the moment decision to enter your business but now may not because they just can't turn wherever they want."
According to Kristen Carson, a public information officer for FDOT, the raised medians do provide benefits to residents. "As traffic flow is made more efficient, the roadway can handle more traffic and congestion levels decrease," she says. "Studies have also shown a 25 percent crash rate reduction for roads with restrictive medians."
According to materials provided by FDOT, residents and business owners can appeal the location of a median and/or the associated turning movements by contacting FDOT Access Management.
The design phase of the U.S. Hwy. 301 project is currently underway at a cost of $200,000. The construction phase of the project is slated to begin in summer 2009 and will cost $7 million.
For more information, contact Mary Lou Godfrey or John Escobio at FDOT at 975-6144.
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