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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Local businesses are petitioning against a major construction project along Route 19.
The work is aimed at improving traffic flow and safety, but business owners said they had concerns.
Spencer Gill, owner of Pelican Car Wash, started the petition.
He and other local business owners along Route 19 said a major construction project is making it more difficult for customers to access their stores.
“A few hundred meters away, there’s a right-turn lane that’s separated by a median and is inaccessible. That’s where southbound traffic has slowed down significantly,” Gill said.
The $242 million construction project focuses on building a new interchange and improving traffic flow from State Route 580 to north of Curlew Road, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Spencer said the project has resulted in 200 fewer customers each week.
“For us, this is a big amount of money because we rely so much on the local support of people in the community. If it’s inconvenient to get to the car wash, that’s just tough,” Gill said. he said.
Gill’s petition seeks compensation from the state for the economic losses businesses in the area are experiencing.
“This is to ensure that local businesses are taken care of and taken care of during this construction period,” Gill said.
He’s not the only one who thinks something needs to be done…so does music and film employee Lisa Duclon.
“We used to have a lot of overflow from the car wash, but as their traffic has gone down, our traffic has gone down as well,” Duclon said.
Managers said they have noticed that despite fewer customers, the road is a little safer with fewer accidents than before. ”
Gill and Duclon said that before the project, there were up to three shipwrecks a day along Route 19.
“Obviously, it’s very needed. The construction here is very needed and we understand that,” Gill said.
In the meantime, Gil and Duclon hope their business can survive.
“It’s great to keep trying to keep the community in the community, in the business, and support local businesses around the area,” Duclon said.
We contacted the Florida Department of Transportation regarding this issue. He did not comment on the petition, but said construction was being carried out around the clock to meet the deadline.
If business owners need more information, please visit FDOT’s website.
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