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Raised Medians Raise Hackles

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By TOM BRENNAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

Updated: 12/17/2007 06:12 pm

RIVERVIEW - The benefits of putting raised medians along a stretch of U.S. 301 depend on your perspective.
State engineers proposing the medians between Pine Avenue and Lake St. Charles Boulevard say the dividers will make the highway safer by eliminating the jousting matches between motorists navigating the long left-turn lane in the middle of the seven-lane thoroughfare.

"It reduces conflicts, controls access and makes U.S. 301 safer for the traveling public," said John Escobio, project manager for the Florida Department of Transportation.

But merchants on both sides of the proposed medians say they will block the flow of customers and supplies.

"I think it is a waste of money," said Jean Ann Leske, who has operated the Riverview Sandwich Shop at 8001 U.S. 301 S. for the past 25 years. "We don't need them. They will block businesses so people can't get in."

Developer Will Bissett Jr. understands business owners' concerns.

"The problem with medians is someone's ox is going to be gored," he said. "The road needs to be improved, but businesses need as much access as they can."

The comments were made at a public meeting last week at which state officials presented their proposal for improving U.S. 301 between Bloomingdale Avenue and north of where Gibsonton Drive becomes Boyette Road.

The state plans to spend $7.2 million building the medians, resurfacing the road, replacing the electronic strips under the pavement that detect cars and trigger traffic lights, repainting pavement markings and putting up traffic signals at Balm-Riverview Road and Riverview Drive.

The medians and a proposed 4-foot bicycle lane on both sides of the road drew the most opposition.

"We are not happy at all," said Ilan Aramati, owner of the Dunkin' Donuts at 7028 S. U.S. 301. "It is going to infringe on our business, and we have real delivery issues."

Aramati, like many business owners who turned out for the meeting, didn't oppose the concept of a raised median. They just don't want any in front of their own shops.

Escobio said the medians weren't originally in the state's plans, but a safety study completed about five months ago concluded they are needed. He said the study showed the medians could reduce accidents by 25 percent - and fatal ones by 27 percent.

Escobio said the median will have eight openings between Pine and Lake St. Charles, and half will be full access where drivers going north and south can turn left.

But Kroslak Enterprises at 8815 U.S. 301 S. won't have a median break.

"We prefer to keep it the way it is," said owner Joseph Kroslak. "And putting bikes on a main highway is a really bad idea.

"The idea is to slow down traffic, and I don't see how medians do that."

Escobio said the bike lanes will reduce the vehicle traffic lanes from 12 to 11 feet. He said narrower traffic lanes and medians encourage drivers to drive slower than unobstructed lanes do.

Aramati and Bissett, who owns an acre north of the sandwich shop and shares its driveway, hope to persuade the state to move the median so they can have full access to U.S. 301.

Escobio said the design is only 60 percent complete, so there is time to tweak the plans.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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