Largo commissioners wisely have rejected a plan to put a roundabout at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Rosery Road, but they should continue to place a high priority to the rest of the Highland Avenue reconstruction project.
The proposed roundabout spurred a lot of opposition in recent months, particularly from members of the St. Paul United Methodist Church, which is located at the northwest corner of the intersection.
Church members are concerned about having to walk cross the roundabout from parking lots to get to the church and return to their vehicles after services.
The potential danger to pedestrians and the fact that many Largo residents and motorists may not be familiar with roundabouts was enough for commissioners to remove it from plans for Highland Avenue.
Commissioners said this is not the intersection that should be used for the city’s first roundabout. Agreed. In this case, commissioners acted on the side of caution; it’s just the wrong time and place for a roundabout.
In other cities in the state where roundabouts have been installed, traffic engineers say they are effective in reducing traffic fatalities and slowing down motorists. Statistics bear out those claims.
Meanwhile, some commissioners have expressed concerns about the $4.59 million Highland Avenue project, from East Bay Drive to Belleair Road, questioning whether funding it would severely impact funding for other road needs.
Highland Avenue should take precedence. It’s a heavily traveled road and is part of the city’s strategic plan for establishing a system of community streets, trails and greenways to connect neighborhoods, parks and civic facilities. It provides direct access to Largo Central Park, City Hall, the Highland Recreation Complex and more than 15 neighborhoods.
Highland Avenue has inadequate sidewalks, and its roadway pavement needs work. The county has agreed to provide $850,000 to Largo in exchange for the city taking over the maintenance of the road. City officials have said it is not high on the list of county priorities for improvement, and it’s unlikely that will change.
Certainly, every city commissioner can find other roads through areas of the city that need sidewalks, widening or other improvements. They hear about it from constituents at almost all of their regular meetings.
But are they as important as Highland Avenue to the city’s overall transportation system and strategic plan? Have they been discussed as much as Highland Avenue?
No matter what road project is delayed or pursued because of budget considerations – in good economic times or bad – commissioners will not please all of their constituents.
But commissioners should place a premium on strategic and long-term planning and move forward with the Highland Avenue project.
