Gandy "Improvement"

Many South Tampa residents attended the Gandy Improvement open house this evening, sponsored by FDOT. Florida Department of Transportation's contractor, Pepper Contracting, is making upgrades to Gandy Blvd. between the Gandy Bridge and Dale Mabry. (click on photo to enlarge it to see the HORC front gate.)

Construction activities include converting Gandy from a 4 lane road with a center turn lane to a 4 lane divided road with raised medians ranging in width from 14 to 30 feet, building new sidewalks and a multi-use trail and adding decorative lighting and landscaping.

The $21 million dollar project is expected to be complete in late 2010.

Project Administrator Rolando Luis Jr, when asked if a second story layer will be added in the future, answered "I hope so, what a great thing that would be." He is shown here with Bayside West Neighborhood Assn. vice-president Carol Johnson.

FDOT Community Relations Coordinator, Leo Folsom, poses with Regency Cove resident Larry Buttelwerth. Leo showed concern when we questioned her about the inabilty to access our park entrance from the west. Regency Cove cars towing boats coming from the Gandy boat ramp will be expected to make a Uturn at the Gandy /Westshore intersection. She admitted that this would certainly be a problem, and encourages us to fill out a comment form before we left.

Resident Mike Ross questioned several FDOT employees, and found the Access Manager. Mike pointed out to Steve Hodge the difficulty for all residents of Regency Cove and Culbreath Key returning with boats and trailers from the boat ramp area. Steve offered his office number for us to call and make a date on their calendar for a hearing to appeal the limited access. More information will follow.

If anyone missed the Open House, but would like to send a comment, please contact Lori Buck, Florida Dept. of Transportation, 11201 N.McKinley Dr., Tampa, 33612 or

email her at lori.buck@dot.state,fl.us

Let them know your concerns!

Gandy Blvd. Improvement Open House

The Florida Department of Transportation will hold an open house to update the community on the status of the Gandy Blvd. reconstruction project, the South Dale Mabry concrete resurfacing project and the intersection improvements at Dale Mabry and Bay to Bay. The meeting will be held Thursday, March 6, 2008 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Manhattan Center, 4210 W. Bay Villa Ave., located behind the Jan Platt Library. This is the special education school next to the Boy's and Girl's Club.

There will be no formal presentation, however, project information for each of the projects will be available and staff will be on-hand to answer questions. The Gandy Blvd project extends from the Gandy Bridge to Dale Mabry and involves converting the existing five lane highway with a center turn lane to a four lane divided highway with medians. The South Dale Mabry project extends from Sevilla St. to Kennedy Blvd. and involves replacing and repairing the damaged concrete roadway slabs and realigning the Bay to Bay intersection.

The open house will be held in accordance with 23 CFR 771 and Title VI and VIII of the United States Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968. Access for the disabled is offered and in compliance with 49 CFR part 27 and 49 CFR parts 37 and 38. Anyone with special needs under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Lori Buck at least seven days in advance at 1-800-226-7220 or (813) 975-6284, or by letter to Lori Buck at the Florida Department of Transportation, 11201 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612-6456, or by email at lori.buck@dot.state.fl.us.

Jerry Frankhouser, President Bayside West Neighborhood Association http://www.baysidewest.50megs.com/ 813-507-9664