Reopening Patricia Highlights Agenda Thursday

When the Dunedin City Commission reconvenes Oct. 20, an issue of concern to many residents will be discussed, the possible reopening of Patrica Avenue. The debate as to whether reopen the street or not is expected to highlight the meeting.

The area of Patricia Avenue that was closed was a once-popular cut-through to Pinehurst Road. Earlier this year, citizens and neighborhood residents on a petition to reopen the street.

In a document to Dunedin city manager Robert DiSpirito, transportation and traffic engineer Joan Rice recommended, based on studies by the city, to reopen Patricia Avenue. The road was closed to common vehicular traffic in March between McLean Street and San Salvador Drive. Since, city staff have installed landscaping and decorative items to improve aesthetics.

Since the closure, traffic exploded on San Salvador between Patricia Avenue and Pinehurst Road, exceeding the recommended ceiling of 1,000 vehicle trips daily. Reopening Patricia Avenue will relieve the traffic on San Salvador specifically, city officials believe.

If Patricia Avenue reopens, the city plans on installing three speed bumps to the current closed road. Also, if Patricia Avenue is reopened as recommended, the city plans to closely monitor traffic flow on Patricia Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood streets to see if any additional features need to be added to control traffic flow.

The city also believes adding the three speed bumps will deter cut-through traffic on Patricia Avenue as well. Rice noted in the document to DiSpirito that speed bumps not only reduce traffic speed on a street, but reduce traffic volume as well.

For residents concerned about the timeliness of first responders to the closed street, fire officials don't believe there is any drop off in response time either way.

In a memo dated Feb. 16, 2011 directed to DiSpirito, Dunedin fire chief Bud Meyer noted that response time for first responders in the closed areas of Patricia Avenue will be the same whether the road is closed or if the street is reopened and three speed bumps are installed.