The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has agreed to construct an unwanted $242 million pedestrian project in Pinellas County, and I am urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to stop it before it begins.
When this project was originally proposed, the price tag was approximately $163 million; now $242 million. Costs for this project are exploding and it should be alarming to all of us that FDOT is investing over $242 million of Florida's taxpayer dollars to construct three pedestrian underpass tunnels along US-19, a roadway where sidewalks already exist. In addition, the 1.5‐mile section from north of SR 580 to Northside Drive is an industrial area that pedestrians currently do not utilize and most likely never will.
These three tunnels were proposed to make the area safer for pedestrians; however, even if pedestrians did frequent this area, this would not be the solution to safer walkways. It would have the opposite effect. Pedestrian underpasses are not safe and are becoming increasingly known as "Drug Alleyways" among the homeless population, providing a significant safety concern among residents with overpriced and unpassable walkways. With homelessness on the rise, individuals in areas where underpasses do exists have turned the pedestrian walkways into makeshift homes equipped with beds, couches, and sometimes electricity.
The exorbitant amount of money proposed for these unneeded pedestrian underpasses should cause Gov. DeSantis and the residents of Pinellas County to pause and think about the many projects that could be funded to improve the lives of our community.
I urge Gov. DeSantis and FDOT to reevaluate this project and put a stop to it before construction begins in the Spring of 2023. The people of Pinellas County deserve better. They deserve their hard-earned money to be used for something that directly benefits the people of Pinellas County.
Instead of investing $242 million into pedestrian underpasses that will undoubtedly be underutilized and have zero economic impact within our community, let's consider reinvesting these taxpayer dollars. Let's reinvest these dollars for more pressing transportation needs in the immediate area, not for three underutilized underpasses. By reallocating this money to provide the necessary resources that our community quite frankly deserves, our people and our community can thrive.
Gov. DeSantis, not only is this a complete waste of taxpayer dollars, but the businesses along the 1.5‐mile section from north of SR 580 to Northside Drive is an industrial area that suffered greatly when this road was reconstructed by FDOT nearly six years ago, which still feels like yesterday to the businesses that have not yet recovered from that fiscal hit plus COVID-19. If this project were to begin, it would again significantly harm all these businesses. We urge you to put an immediate stop to this project. Now is the time to stop the US-19 construction project and reroute our taxpayer dollars into something more viable for our community's future.
For more information about the pedestrian project and to take action against FDOT, visit www.DumpTheHumps.com.
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Sen. Ed Hooper represents Senate District 16, which includes Clearwater and Largo in northern Pinellas and western Pasco counties.
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