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Round And Round

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Suncoast News Staff

Published: October 1, 2007

Safety Harbor this week discussed installing a traffic circle, or as some call them roundabouts, at the intersections of Philippe Parkway, Church Street and First Avenue North.

The idea is to improve the flow of traffic along Philippe Parkway, already clogged during morning rush hour and homebound traffic since the Parkway is a through connection between S.R. 580 and Rt. 60 in Clearwater.

It is often used as a "shortcut" to Tampa International Airport for those drivers who want to avoid heavily traveled U.S. 19 or McMullen Booth Road.

William Baker, the city's engineer, said he has had requests for the circle from residents who live near the junctions. These roundabouts are not very popular, in this area anyway, since one installed at the entrance to Clearwater Beach is met with constant criticism. For years, New Jersey labored vigorously to get rid of all its traffic circles because of a huge increase in traffic from people moving into the state from neighboring states. The more traffic, the more difficult they are to get around.

Safety Harbor says it could present a much better design than Clearwater's that would work. Mayor Andy Steingold predicts an outcry against the plan if a town meeting were held to discuss the issue.

Some residents, says Baker, would have staffers and elected officials "run out of town" at the mere mention of a roundabout. Perhaps he is correct. The commission was right to hold off on a decision for six months to better take the pulse of the community.

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