A Public Service Announcement

WARNING: Dangerous Traffic Signal in Palmetto, Florida (near Tampa)
43 SERIOUS INJURY (and rising!) left-turn, head-on collisions with
on-
comming traffic. (d.o.t injury figure)
Location: Palmetto, Florida;SOUTHBOUND routes 301 and 41 combine for
a left turn; just 70 yards past the overpass; about 2 miles NORTH of
the MANATEE CONVENTION CENTER.
This accident record DEFINES this traffic signal as an ENGINEERING
DISASTER!
Why:
Left turn Traffic arrow sequences and durations VARY during the
day.
(at night) INADEQUATE duration left turn green arrow (3-4 secs.)
does not clear the 10 to 20 cars backed up for the left turn. (due to
faulty traffic sensors imbedded in the pavement)This faulty
engineering encourages 1-3 motorists to speed up and try to make the
light! This often leaves a car IN the intersection and in the path of
oncomming (50mph)traffic. What's more- there is only a ONE SECOND
delay between the left turn yellow arrow going OFF and the green
light
ON- for oncomming traffic.
ONE NEEDS TO STAND AT THIS INTERSECTION FOR 15 MINUTES AT NIGHT-
AND
WITNESS THE NEAR-COLLISIONS!

The injury figures were given to me by Ken Bass (Fla D.O.T)and the
ONLY person who can correct this is:
Ken Bass (Florida Dept. of Transportation)
ph (863) 519-2495
Mt suggestion: Call him and:
Politely YELL BLOODY MURDER!
ALSO EMAIL DOT: fdot.pio@ dot.state.fl.us
Mike Corman