ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Drivers on 34th Street in St. Petersburg are asking when the ongoing paving work will be complete there.
Two lanes of 34th St. (U.S. 19) southbound between Central Avenue and 22nd Avenue North appear to have been sitting unfinished for months.
Kerry Marks has driven to and from work on 34th Street for years. But lately, she has noticed something off.
“It’s 6:30 in the morning, it’s dark and I see that these lanes haven’t been completed. So every day it’s the same stop and go, and these lanes aren’t done,” Marks said.
She says it looks like the paving work on 34th Street suddenly stopped in January.
“They have both northbound lanes paved. But going southbound, I see one lane paved and two lanes aren’t,” Marks said.
As a result, there are uneven lanes.
Marks says that leads to rainwater pooling in the road. In addition, she sees drivers slowing down at the intersections.
“When they get to an intersection where it’s raised, all the cars start to slow down because they don’t want to damage their cars,” Marks said. “But then the people behind them don’t know what’s going on. So that can cause a potential accident.”
Spectrum Bay News 9 Traffic Expert Tim Wronka asked the Florida Department of Transportation if work has stopped there.
Officials say that a lot of the work is now taking place at night.
Crews are currently working on drainage repairs that are underground, which may make it look like progress has stalled.
Once that’s finished, crews will finish the paving.
Marks hopes that’s soon so everyone’s commute is a bit smoother.
“The other side is completely done and it’s smooth sailing. It’s wonderful. And we just want the other side to be just as nice,” Marks said.
FDOT says the work is expected to completed in the summer. The project also includes wider sidewalks on portions of 34th Street.
The new pavement will go from 54th Avenue South to 22nd Avenue North.
