Study recommends safety, traffic improvements for Largo's East Bay Drive

LARGO — A yearlong study recommends a series of safety and transportation improvements along the East Bay Drive/Roosevelt Boulevard corridor, one of the city’s busiest and most congested roadways.

Among the suggestions are separated bicycle lanes, safer pedestrian crossings, redesigned intersections and bus pull-off bays along the 7-mile roadway between Clearwater-Largo Road and Lightwave Drive, near St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.

The recommendations were presented to city commissioners during a July 14 work session by Forward Pinellas, which conducted the study along with the Florida Department of Transportation and the city.

The report identifies Belcher Road, U.S. 19 and County Road 1 among the intersections most in need of improvements after evaluating traffic patterns, crash data and public input.

The study does not estimate construction costs. Rather, it serves as a blueprint for future transportation projects that would be pursued as funding becomes available.

Some projects are already proceeding.

FDOT is evaluating whether to install a new traffic signal at Bay Vista Drive near Bay Vista Office Park, one of the study's highest-priority recommendations. Officials said results of that evaluation could be available within weeks.

The study also recommends constructing bus pull-off bays at several heavily used stops so buses can load passengers without blocking traffic.

One of the highest-ranked locations is across from Largo Central Park at East Bay Drive and 2nd Street North, where safety concerns and turning conflicts were cited.

Public outreach found strong support for protected bike lanes, which ranked as the most requested improvement among residents.

The study found crashes involving motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians have increased in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Near-miss intersections are a priority for us," said Nousheen Rahman, principal planner for Forward Pinellas. "We want to be able to identify the safety issues before fatalities or serious crashes happen."

Rahman said the recommendations are intended to improve safety while preparing for future growth, particularly near Bay Vista Office Park and Largo's Target Employment Center east of U.S. 19.

Although commissioners generally supported the recommendations, some voiced frustration with the traffic signal timing along East Bay Drive.

“I’ll tell you what, I am so sick and tired of running from red light to red light,” said Commissioner Curtis Holmes. “I’ve heard this from the county for years and years and years that we’ve got these signals synchronized. And they are not.”

Mayor Woody Brown echoed those concerns, saying half in jest, “I don’t always say this, but I agree with Commissioner Holmes on the traffic light timing.”

Rahman said the signal retiming is recent and that before-and-after studies will be performed to determine whether the changes improve traffic flow.