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Proposed 56th Street Medians Stir Protests

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - Business as usual for merchants along the west side of 56th Street south of Busch Boulevard might become difficult.

Many of them fear that scenario should the Florida Department of Transportation and the Temple Terrace City Council have their say in improving the appearance of the state-owned road from Busch to Riverhills Drive.

In preparation for the downtown redevelopment project and armed with more than $4 million in federal and state grants, the city has been working with the FDOT on a plan to not only enhance the aesthetics but also increase driver and pedestrian safety through that corridor.

The city's proposal calls for adding landscaped medians that would eliminate several entrances into the businesses, information that was outlined by city staff members in a letter last month to the area's 30-plus property owners and business proprietors that could be affected. Included in the letter was notice of the city-hosted public meeting Nov. 29 on the issue.

As a result, about a half-dozen of the 56th Street business owners and managers attended to view renderings of the three proposed new medians: a 280-foot median from Temple Terrace Florist to Olin Mott Tire Stores, a 100-foot median from Yong Tailor Shop to Stangherlin Chiropractic Clinic and a 240-foot median from Westshore Pizza to Gaspar's Patio Bar & Grille. The gaps between the medians were placed to allow southbound traffic to make left-hand turns into the redevelopment area.
Conceptual plans show northbound traffic access to the strip centers on the west side of 56th would be limited to one left-turn entry from south of the 100-foot median and no U-turns would be permitted at Busch Boulevard. There are 20 entrances to the businesses on the west side of 56th Street.

The proposal, however, calls for closing 11 of those driveways and creating three access points for southbound vehicles. In addition, the plan includes a new traffic signal at Grove Hill Road.

"The proposed driveway closures are conceptual only and have not been finalized," City Engineer Joe Motta said.

Beautifying 56th Street where the downtown redevelopment project is planned is a key objective in the city's Vision 2020 goals, Community Services Director Ralph Bosek said. He said the issue has long been a concern to residents.

"The No. 1 suggestion in the charettes of the early 2000s was to improve the appearance of 56th and Busch Boulevard," Bosek said.

His comments did little to appease the disapproving sentiments of Sin Yo, who operates an accounting business near the northern end of the projected improvement site on 56th and whose family owns the business center where it's located.

"If there is no way for drivers heading north on 56th Street to access any of the businesses in this area, it's bound to hurt all of us," Yo said.

Khalid Khad, vice president of Subway Management Corp., voiced his concerns about the possible closing of the entrance in front of the Subway restaurant. If that occurs, it will leave no direct entry off 56th Street for Subway customers traveling northbound.

"Many of these places who've been in business for 25 years are going to have to sacrifice for the new businesses across the street," Khad said. "If there is no left turn into them and people turn left on Busch, they are not going to turn back to get to our businesses."

Little Caesars Pizza General Manager Stephanie William is convinced the plan would hurt her business.

"If you can't make a U-turn and you turn left at Busch, there is a Domino's Pizza on the north side of Busch about a block from 56th Street," she said.

Consultant Derek Gil of Element Engineering Group, who was hired by the city to work on the project, said the proposal meets with FDOT standards.

"It's not the first project of this type, and businesses do continue to exist if you look at other areas throughout the county," he said. "Bringing new businesses to the area and new people could benefit those businesses."

The city council is not expected to vote on the matter until next year.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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