ST. PETERSBURG — There’s a lane closure in a busy area of downtown St. Petersburg that drivers have been dealing with for months – but they aren’t sure what the closure is for.
What You Need To Know
A middle lane is closed on 5th Ave South between 4th and 3rd streets in downtown St. Pete
Drivers say it’s been closed for months, but they weren’t sure why
FDOT officials now say its for a box culvert repair
A middle lane is closed on 5th Ave South between 4th and 3rd streets, right near St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Church employee Michelle Rego reached out to Real Time Traffic Expert Tim Wronka about the lane closure, which she says has been there since March.
“This has been up since then and there’s no apparent construction. And there’s no apparent workers here. There’s no apparent sinkhole or any reason for these to be up that you can see with the naked eye,” Rego said.
Rego has worked at the church for the past 15 years and says the growth in the area has already made traffic busier.
She says that just one lane being closed can create a lot of problems for drivers, especially those coming off of the interstate into downtown St. Pete.
“It makes it impossible, especially at those rush hour times. And if you want to make the left turn and negotiate your way all the way to the left lane, it’s next to impossible,” Rego said.
It turns out there is a reason for the closure.
FDOT officials say it’s for a box culvert repair, which is used to move water under the road. Work is expected to continue this week and the lane should reopen soon.
That’s welcome news to Rego, who had been wondering why the lane was closed.
“It seems weird,” Rego said. “I’m a religious watcher of Traffic Inbox and Bay News 9 in the morning. So I see it every day and think this may be something to ask Tim about.”
If there’s a traffic issue in your neighborhood, let Tim know! https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/traffic/inbox