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Tarpon To Begin Own Streetscaping

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: February 16, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - This city has taken a major step toward moving its portion of the Pinellas Avenue and Tarpon Avenue streetscaping project on Tarpon and Pinellas avenues toward completion.

The city had to wait for the Florida Department of Transportation to complete roadway improvements along both major downtown roadways before it could begin its streetscape project, said Jim Russell, city engineering supervisor.

There will be three major parts to the city streetscaping project. They involve: extensive landscaping within median strips and along road rights of way; illuminating both roadways with old-fashioned street lights; and placing overhead utility wires underground.

"This is a very exciting phase of the overall project," Russell said.

Mayor Beverley Billiris said completion of the streetscaping project will spark redevelopment and attract business downtown. The streetscaping effort, with its trees, shrubs and old-fashioned lights, will make Pinellas and Tarpon avenues appealing to both visitors and potential new restaurateurs and retailers, she said.

Last week, city officials approved a staff request to hire a consultant to design a system of street lights that will fit in with the architecture and character of the historic district.

According to Russell, the street lights, which will be uniform in appearance, will be placed along Pinellas Avenue, as Alt. 19 is known in the city, between Morgan Street and the Anclote River Bridge, and along Tarpon Avenue, between Pinellas and Huey avenues.

This style of streetlight is already in place along East Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

For the last five years staff has been developing a streetscape plan that would be carried out after DOT completed its improvements along Tarpon and Pinellas avenues.

A $500,000 grant from the Pinellas Metropolitan Planning Organization and DOT will be utilized to design and install the street lights in the city's plan.

The trees and shrubs the city will plant in the median strips and along roadsides will be certified by DOT. This is meant to ensure they do not block the sight lines of motorists or create other safety hazards

Last week, city commissioners granted staff approval to contract with nurseries to grow trees or shrubs for the streetscape project that are not readily available.

These include:

• Walter's viburnum, a dense shrub that produces creamy white flowers that attract butterflies.

• Yaupon holly, known to scientists as Ilex vomitoria, which sports red berries in the fall and winter.

• The white Geiger, or Cordia, tree, which has dark orange flowers most of the year.

Trees and shrubs will be planted as they reach maturity.

The city received a $1.1 million state grant from the Florida Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development to pay the cost of placing electric and other utility lines in the ground. Getting rid of overhead wires is a key part of improving the esthetics of the downtown district, city officials believe.

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