Traffic light caused Longboat delays Thursday
Date: February 8, 2013
by: Kurt Schultheis | Managing Editor
Longboaters attempting to get to downtown Sarasota or St. Armands Circle Thursday had an hour wait to deal with, thanks to a faulty traffic light at Longboat Club Road, just before the New Pass Bridge.
Public Works Director Juan Florensa said it was discovered around 1 p.m. Thursday the light wasn't working properly and it was reset at 4:30 p.m. by a traffic engineer.
All day Thursday, southbound traffic on Gulf of Mexico Drive was backed up sporadically all the way to the Bay Isles Parkway traffic light.
In an email to the Longboat Key Town Commission Thursday evening, Florensa said town staff and the Longboat Key Police Department will be monitoring the light closely today to make sure it's not malfunctioning and doesn't need further repairs.
Currently 2 Responses
- 1.
- I commute between Sarasota and Longboat Key on a daily basis. I am one of those people who measures seconds at a traffic light. On days that I leave the office before 6:00PM I have noticed that there is an incredible backup going over the Ringling bridge into Sarasota. When arriving at the traffic light in front of the Ritz Carlton I notice an incredible delay for the left hand turn light coming from 41 into the Golden Gate area. All traffic clears that light within 30 seconds yet the delay lasts much longer. Then we move on to the light at 41. 30 cars sit waiting for the light to change while 41 zips on by oftentimes without any traffic in sight. Set this light on a shorter timer at rush hour and set the left hand turn delay into Golden Gate to 30 seconds and the bridge traffic will be nearly obsolete.
- 2.
- If traffic was backed up to the light at the Publix store entrance and the police were not at the LBK Club light directing traffic, anybody responsible for the quality of life on LBK relative to traffic should be ashamed and retrained about what is important to the residents and tourists of LBK.
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