Changes may be near for Osprey intersection

After receiving continuous complaints from Osprey residents, the Florida Department of Transportation has reversed a decision it made just two weeks ago, in which it determined no changes were needed at the U.S. 41 and East Bay Street intersection.

Osprey citizens had complained about long waits at U.S. 41 trying to enter East Bay Street.

An FDOT representative told residents last month that the left-turn signal on U.S. 41, heading to East Bay Street was working properly. An inspector timing the signal said the red turn signal lasted only about two-and-a-half minutes.

But a Sarasota Observer inspection found instances in which the red turn signal lasted more than five minutes and the green only lasted seven seconds.

Due to those long wait times, some drivers in the turn lane have resorted to the potentially dangerous practice of pulling back out into traffic to do a U-turn further south on U.S. 41.

FDOT officials informed the county Aug. 1 that they would once again inspect the traffic light.

They will research changing the intersection from one that only allows turns on a green arrow to one that allows turns on a green arrow and also when the other U.S. 41 lanes have a green light.

FDOT will monitor the number of cars turning left during the day, the number of cars in opposing traffic and the crash history of the intersection.

That data collection will occur next month and FDOT expects to make a decision by the end of September on whether changes are required at the intersection.