MORE
Most Recent Entries
- This 4th of July, Stay Safe!
- 4th of July Crosstown Hours
- I-75 Southbound Reopened at US-301!
- I-75 Southbound Bridge Over US-301 Opening Early
- Dads Ride Free on Father's Day
- Paving Work on the Crosstown
- Guard Your Life - Drive Alert on I-75
- Hurricane Car Safety Tips
- Your Questions Answered
- Manatee Traffic Alternates
- The Final Four Auto Tips... Start Saving Now!
- Mock Contraflow Saturday along I-4
- Move Over Law
- 8 Ways to Increase your MPG
- The Myths, Mistakes And Must-Do's Of Filling Up
Monthly Archives
|
| Traffic Updates | Add Photos | Comments |
VIDEO: 4th of July Drunk Driving
The 4th of July holiday means barbeques, fireworks, and celebrating. But those festivities can turn tragic. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 4th of July holiday weekend is the deadliest for drunk driving related crashes, even more so than New Year’s.
Last year, I told you about Travis Peer. Travis was a young man with a big heart and bright future whose life was sadly cut short by a drunk driver. Ruth and Drew Finn, Travis’s parents, shared their story with with me and the Tampa community with the hope other families might be spared their grief. I encourage you to watch the video above for a powerful reminder about the grave danger posed with drinking and driving.
Don Murray, Florida’s Executive Director of MADD, says the best defense to prevent drunk driving is to plan ahead:
“The problem frankly is that when you drink, your judgment goes away and you don’t think you are impaired… and once the judgment goes, you feel perfectly content to and confident that your abilities to drive are not impaired. People have to understand that that is the first clue that there’s trouble.”
Don encourages everyone this 4th of July to select a designated driver or chip in for a cab or other form of transportation. For more information on drunk driving related initiatives, legislation, resources and statistics, visit MADD’s website at http://www.madd.org.
The following is a partial list of cab services available throughout the metro Tampa area and its suburbs.
Affordable Taxi (727) 733-3333, 2647 Harbor Cir, Clearwater, FL
Action Cab & Shuttle (727) 845-3090, New Port Richey, FL
United Cab Company (813) 253-2424, 1701 W Cass St, Tampa
Yellow Cab (813) 253-3590, 502 N Oregon Ave, Tampa
A Americab Taxi, (813) 837-4455, 506 N Archer St, Tampa
ABC Taxi (813) 872-8294, 1701 W Cass St, Tampa
Florida Taxi (727) 896-5008, Tampa
Gulf Coast Transportation (813) 251-3107, 1701 W Cass St, Tampa
Cab Plus Incorporated, (813) 250-0990, Hyde Park, Tampa
Tampi Taxi Incorporated, (813) 888-5008, 4105 N Florida Ave, Tampa
United Cab Company (813) 251-6494, 1701 W Cass St, Tampa
Wishing you and your family a safe and relaxing 4th.
Alicia
For the 2008 July 4th Holiday weekend, the Reversible Express Lanes will be open eastbound from 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 3 and will remain open in the eastbound direction until 6 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2008.
Motorists are reminded that the Reversible Express Lanes are open only to Electronic and Video Toll Collection customers. If a vehicle does not have a SunPass or Toll-By-Plate account, the owner can call 1-888-TAG-TOLL up to 72 hours after use of the express lanes to avoid a possible fine or to open an account.
Monday morning was a little easier this morning for drivers in Manatee County. As of Sunday evening, all Southbound lanes of I-75 at US-301 as well as the ramps to the interstate were reopened to traffic.
The I-75 overpass over US-301 had to be replaced after a fuel tanker fell over the guardrail on June 4th and exploded. The flames charred the interstate and local US-301.
For more than three weeks, drivers in both directions faced delays as two Southbound lanes were rerouted onto the Northbound traffic pattern. But with favorable weather and a $300,000 state bonus incentive, construction crews wrapped up the emergency repairs ahead of schedule.
State transportation officials say the two Northbound and two Southbound lanes of US-301 are expected to open Tuesday night. Currently, one lane gets by in both directions.
The overpass along I-75 at US-301 in Ellenton continues to be rebuilt following a fiery crash that scorched the bridge three weeks ago.
Manatee County officials now say good weather and financial incentives from the government has pushed the emergency work along at record pace. The project was scheduled to last six weeks but construction crews may reopen the Southbound lanes of the interstate as early as Monday morning, weather permitting.
Currently, a traffic pattern shift remains in place. Two lanes of Southbound traffic are being routed into the Northbound lanes. Reduced speeds are in place through that region.
The I-75/US-301 intersection is one of the most traveled in the region and I-75 is the central access highway to Sarasota County and Southwest Florida.
To celebrate Father’s Day, Dad’s ride free on the TECO Line Streetcar System when accompanied by their families all day Sunday, June 15th.
The TECO Line Streetcar System operates from noon until 8 p.m. on Sundays.
Happy Father’s Day to all Dads!
Paving work will begin on the local lanes of the Crosstown Expressway east and west of the 78th Street main toll plaza on Sunday June 22, 2008. Paving work will take place at night from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. The project is expected to be completed Thursday, July 17, 2008.
Users of the elevated lanes will not be affected, but drivers on the lower lanes (both eastbound and westbound directions) will encounter lane closures and paving equipment during this time. In addition, for safety reasons, the construction area will be lighted.
This Friday, the FDOT will launch a new safety campaign, Guard Your Life - Drive Alert on I-75, aimed at reducing traffic-related fatalities on Interstate 75. The safety campaign coincides with a construction project to add guardrail on I-75 from CR-577 to the Pasco/Hernando County Line and from north of SR 50 to the Hernando/Sumter County Line.
District Seven Secretary of Transportation Don Skelton said, “FDOT is putting in guardrails along the medians of I-75 in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando counties in an effort to reduce head-on crashes. The goal is to make I-75 a safer corridor for everyone.”
From January 2004 through May 2007, there were a total of 4,702 crashes with 3,160 injuries and 66 fatalities that occurred on I-75 from Hillsborough/Manatee to Hernando/Sumter counties. Out of these crashes there were 36 head-on collisions resulting in one fatality and 26 injuries.
FDOT is also joining forces with the Florida Trucking Association to broadcast this safety message.
For more information on the FDOT “Guard Your Life - Drive Alert on I-75” safety campaign, please visit: http://www.drivealert75.com.
In the event of a severe hurricane forecast for the Bay area where mandatory evacuations are ordered, undoubtably you will have a lot to consider. Experts recommend taking car of your car now, so it is one less task to remember. Here are few tips for hurricane car preparation:
1. Make sure you have a full tank of gas before a storm arrives.
2. Store a crate in your trunk with emergency supplies: a first aid kit, duct tape, jumper cables for a dead battery, one or two blankets, a flashlight, bottled water, shelf-stable food (like energy bars), basic tools like a screwdriver and pliers, a couple of brightly colored cloths to tie on your rear-view mirror to signal for help if you need it.
3. Make sure you have a good spare tire.
4. If you’re evacuating, bring your (fully charged) cell phone.
5. If you’re evacuating or returning home after a hurricane, avoid driving through water. The average car can be swept off the road by as little as 12” of moving water. According to the National Hurricane Center, more than half of all hurricane deaths in the last 30 years have resulted from inland flooding. Of those deaths, one in four was someone who drowned in her car. Find an alternate route.
6. If your vehicle stalls in deep water, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety. However, restarting may cause severe damage to your engine. If you can’t restart your vehicle and you become trapped in rising water, IMMEDIATELY ABANDON IT FOR HIGHER GROUND. If you’re unable to get out of the vehicle safely, call 911 or get help from a passerby or someone standing on higher ground.
7. After you and your vehicle are out of deep water and in a safe area, depress your brakes slowly several times to help dry them out. And remember, if you’re evacuating an area and leaving your car behind, be sure it’s not left in a low-lying area prone to flooding. Rising water can seep in and damage your vehicle.
I received an email from Tom in Land O Lakes with the following questions:
“On Saturday night, I saw on the Howard Frankland Bridge and Veterans Expressway signs that said “traffic pacing” from midnight til 4am. What is traffic pacing? And who was Howard Frankland?”
In the simplest sense, traffic pacing, also known as rolling roadblocks, occurs when traffic is temporarily stopped on a roadway. This traffic pattern is frequently used during highway construction projects to allow for equipment and workers to enter and exit the active construction area. Rolling roadblocks generally last from 10-30 minutes and are typically scheduled overnight when traffic is the light to minimize associated delays.
Traffic pacing is ongoing now along I-275 NORTHBOUND between the interchange for SR-60 West and Tampa Airport and I-4. According to the Florida DOT, drivers should expect one or more lanes to be blocked Sunday through Thursday nights for roadway construction from 11:30 pm to 5:00 am.
And, Tom ... who is Howard Frankland?
William Howard Frankland came to Tampa in 1925 and founded Pioneer Tire. The son of a Tennessee horse buggy seller, Frankland became a prominent Tampa merchant, banker and member of the old state Road Board. He also founded Rubber Products Inc., which is still run by his family members today. Frankland proposed the bridge and its location, insisting the land between the Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Parkway were ripe for development. He died in 1980 at age 70.
For more information on the Howard Frankland Bridge visit http://interstate275florida.com/hfb.htm.
You can submit all of your traffic questions on this blog… we may air yours live on News Channel 8 Today.
Wednesday’s tanker crash in Manatee County has indefinitely closed I-75 Southbound between Exit #224, US 301, and Exit #220, SR 64. All Northbound lanes have been reopened.
Southbound drivers should plan for alternates roadways. The most direct route from I-75 is US 301 West to US 41 South to SR 64 East to reconnect to the Southbound lanes of the interstate.
Expect heavy volume on all of the secondary roadsways in Manatee County near I-75, US 301, US 41, and SR 64.
Northbound US 301 remains closed as well at I-75. Traffic is being detoured on the local service road.
Drivers exiting the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Southbound wishing to connect with Southbound 75 should exit at US-41 South and connect with SR 64 East. SR 64 will again reconnect you with I-75.
Officials say these closures could be in place for days, weeks or longer. Today is the last day of classes for students in Manatee, so tomorrow should be a little easier without the school buses on the roads.
Check out the first four tips to save when you need a tune-up ... watch the video below.
VIDEO: Auto Repair Savings Tips
And here are the final four tips… too valuable to leave out!
5. Some vehicles may benefit from ceramic brakes. They cost approximately $30 more each, but can last longer. Ed Chancey from Olin Mott adds, “Alot of import cars, alot of your explorers, and your big SUV’s are harder on brakes, simply because they are bigger vehicles. It may actually be to your benefit to go with ceramic brakes which require less maintainence.>
6. Shop around for computer diagnostic tests, most cost around $75 but some places, including AutoZone retailers, will do it for free. For an AutoZone near you, visit http://www.autozone.com/store_locator/home.htm.
7. Fix small cracks in your windshield before they splinter. It’s the law and covered under no fault. Ed also adds, “ When the crack becomes severe, water can leak in and cause interior damage to your vehicle.”
8. Develop a relationship with a repair shop you trust. Ed notes, “You may wind up paying for cheap service in the end if there are problems.” And last, Ed also recommends checking into a warranty and extended warranty for your car, especially with foreign and luxury vehicles, where parts and labor can be expensive.
Florida DOT will conduct a mock contraflow exercise this weekend along I-4. “Contraflow” means to reverse-lane highways where all traffic travels in one direction for hurricane evacuation.
Saturday, beginning at 7 am, FDOT will deploy all the equipment and manpower needed during an actual contraflow along I-4 between 50th St. in Tampa and World Drive in Orlando.
However, since this is only a training event, all I-4 lanes will remain open and traffic will not be reversed.
The contraflow exercise is expected to last several hours.
Just after 2 a.m. on Memorial Day, tow truck driver, Vicente Torres, was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Miami-Dade County. Torres and two other workers in that county were killed this past weekend while assisting motorists with disabled vehicles.
Investigators say these deaths can be prevented if drivers follow the ‘Move Over Law.’ Florida law requires drivers to reduce speed and vacate the lane closest to emergency vehicles, including tow trucks and other roadside assistance vehicles, providing assistance. If the lane can’t be vacated, drivers are required to slow down.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 220 traffic crashes occurred in 2006 when drivers did not follow the ‘Move Over Law.’
Yesterday, we went searching for the truth in the common myths of fuel efficiency. In this morning’s Traffic Talk, we talked to the experts to find out the best ways to increase your gas mileage so you make less trips to the pump.
Gregg Laskoski from AAA Auto Club South recommends 8 ways to improve your MPG(miles per gallon):
1. Maintain your engine.
Gregg adds, “Maintaining your vehicle is really the key… make sure you have a clean air filter, a clean oil filter, and check your spark plugs.”
2. Check your tire pressure.
For every pound of pressure your tires are under-inflated, you are losing 2% of your fuel economy.
3. Declutter!
Even an extra 100 pounds increases you fuel consumption by up to 2%… so get rid of the golf clubs, beach chairs and coolers to save.
4. Avoid harsh stops and starts typical of city driving.
Aside from the wear and tear these harsh movements place on your vehicle, they also waste gas. Ease into a stoplight or intersection and gradually accelerate when you need to increase your speed to save fuel.
5. Use cruise control.
The even distribution of fuel and speed will improve your fuel economy. However, remember cruise control is not recommended in rainy or severe weather.
6. Don’t speed!
Speeding, while dangerous, is also expensive. It can reduce your MPG by 33% at highway speeds. Gregg notes, “It makes a lot more sense to drive the speed limit and cut down your speed where you can and it will definitely help conserve gasoline.:
7. Roll down the windows.
Your air conditioner is a huge gas guzzler. Gregg recommends, “Many people instinctively put the air conditioner on when they get in the car, especially here in Florida, but try to conserve when you can. Most mornings you really don’t need it.”
8. Consolidate.
Schedule all of your errands in a particular region or for a particular day so you make the most of your time, trips, and gas mileage.
Finally, experts say gas prices can change any day of the week, but if you can fill up as early as possible before a holiday weekend, you may be able to save.
Any way you cut it, $4.00 a gallon hurts, so cut back where you can. Try riding your bike or walking to the local grocery store or pharmacy. You’ll get a little cardio and still have a few extra pennies in your pocket at the end of the day.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
As fuel prices soar, American’s wallets run on empty. And AAA Director, Gregg Laskoski, says from March to May, we typically see the highest prices of the year.
“Its the time when refineries have to ramp up for their summer blended fuel inventory which has to be in the market by early May.” At the same time they have to do that, they’re still supplying much of the Northeast with heating oil.”
So while cutting back seems inevitable, when you do have to fill up, we ask, “Are there any truths to the common urban myths?”
MYTH 1: To get a “true” gallon, fill up in the morning when temperatures are cool… This is true!
When you have high heat and humidity, gasoline expands in density but not in volume.
MYTH 2: To prevent evaporation, fill your tank before it falls below half-full. This, while only marginally beneficial is also true!
Evaporation does come into play, how much is hard to say. Experts agree to fill your tank before it dives below a quarter of a tank to preserve your engine, prevent emergencies, and yes, reduce evaporation.
MYTH 3: Pump your gas at a low speed to reduce vapors. True!
While again it is hard to determine exactly how much you waste, experts note pumping at full-speed can generate vapors essentially releasing some of the gas you are paying for, so use a low-medium speed when you fill up.
MYTH 4: Never fill up when a service station’s supply tanks are being refueled, so you don’t pay for sludge. It’s true!
When the gasoline is being delivered, chances are you could be getting much of the sludge being stirred up from the bottom, and you don’t want to put that in your tank.
Okay, so yes, these tricks may only save you a few pennies with each trip to the gas station, as gas prices approach $4.00 a gallon, every penny can count. Check back tomorrow for the proven ways to increase your gas mileage so you make less trips to the pump.
Advertisement
