Hotel owner Alan Patel, far right, and engineer Ryan Baderschneider, middle, look at FDOT plans for \"pedestrian islands\" along U.S. 41 Monday.SARA KENNEDY\/skennedy@bradenton.com <\/p>\n
MANATEE -- Alan Patel looked at plans for \"pedestrian islands\" along U.S. 41, concluding: \"This definitely would not work.\" <\/p>\n
The owner of the Quality Inn at 6727 14th St. W. was concerned truckers trying to turn into his hotel would be flummoxed by the Florida Department of Transportation's installation of a concrete \"island\" directly in front of his business in the median of the busy thoroughfare. <\/p>\n
\"Truckers need to turn in from both sides,\" he said. <\/p>\n
Patel, who attended a public hearing Monday sponsored by the FDOT, was also concerned about hotel guests arriving in U-Haul vehicles. <\/p>\n
Fortunately, as he reviewed a map of where FDOT planned 11 pedestrian islands, there was an engineer listening. <\/p>\n
\"We'll definitely look at moving it,\" said Ryan Baderschneider, with CES Engineering, one of the officials affiliated with the state transportation agency at the meeting. <\/p>\n
More than 25 people viewed displays and listened to a presentation about the plan at the Hilton Garden Inn. <\/p>\n
The state transportation agency's $390,000 project calls for adding \"pedestrian islands\" along a center turn lane from Cortez Road to 69th Avenue West in order to provide a safe place for pedestrians crossing the street. <\/p>\n
The 2.5-mile project began after studies showed crashes numbered 1,116 from 2007-2011 with 924 injuries and 13 fatalities along Cortez Road to 63rd Avenue West, according to an FDOT spokesman. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Go here to read the rest: <\/p>\n
Manatee business owners: Pedestrian islands won't work along U.S. 41<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hotel owner Alan Patel, far right, and engineer Ryan Baderschneider, middle, look at FDOT plans for \"pedestrian islands\" along U.S. 41 Monday.SARA KENNEDY\/skennedy@bradenton.com MANATEE -- Alan Patel looked at plans for \"pedestrian islands\" along U.S. 41, concluding: \"This definitely would not work.\" The owner of the Quality Inn at 6727 14th St Continue reading