From: http://www.sptimes.com/2002/11/07/NorthPinellas/US_19_traffic_lights_.shtml

U.S. 19 traffic lights make commute miserable

© St. Petersburg Times
published November 7, 2002

Re: New cross-Pinellas road is complete, story, Oct. 26.

I have lived in Pinellas County for more than 41 years and find it interesting how Pinellas County and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) have managed in just a few years to make the drive on U.S. 19 between 118th Avenue and ParkSide Mall one of the most miserable commutes in this area.

Only a few years ago this stretch of U.S. 19 was actually the best stretch of this otherwise ghastly road, but no more. The following decisions by Pinellas County and the MPO have created this situation:

-- The addition of a traffic light at the entrance to the Super Wal-Mart. I am sure the Pinellas County commissioners and MPO executives have reserved parking places at the front of the store. So much more needs to be said about this traffic light, but it makes me sick to think about it.

-- The traffic light at the entrance to the Mainland's subdivision and the old Wal-Mart. I have sat at this "dumb" (a light that does not sense traffic) traffic light and watched the turn arrows turn green when no one is turning. In my opinion Wal-Mart should have had to foot the bill for a smart light at this location, or if the MPO had any sense, they would have raised my taxes and put up a smart light.

-- The new traffic light at 118th and U.S. 19. This light backs up traffic on U.S. 19 for miles. The overpass that should have taken 118th over U.S. 19 sits at 66th Street. I find this particularly confusing since 66th Street is a terrible road and it is not the only major north/south corridor in the county.

The decisions by the county and MPO on the above traffic lights are a slap in the face to all taxpayers of Pinellas County, but especially to those in southern Pinellas County.

The decisions the county made help the residents of Hillsborough County reach the beaches while discriminating against the residents of South Pinellas and to a certain extent North Pinellas.
-- David S. Williams, Clearwater