Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Support Services Bureau
-Grants Administration

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

What:
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has received a $29,640 contract from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Project.

The purpose of the project is to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist and driver behavior in designated hot spot areas in an effort to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

When:
The project will begin on Monday, March 06, 2017 and run through May 15, 2017.

Where: 
The first High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) detail will be held on Seminole Boulevard (Walsingham Rd. to 94^th Avenue).

Subsequent details will be conducted at various north and south Pinellas County locations. (See list below.)

Why/How:
Beginning on March 06, 2017 and through May 15, 2017, Pinellas County deputies will be conducting on-the-street high visibility education and enforcement details that will stress the importance of pedestrian and bicycle safety. The Florida Department of Transportation is funding the project.

The operation will include the distribution of educational materials, as well as the issuance of warnings and/or citations to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists in accordance with Florida Statutes. The operation will follow a two phase progression. Phase one of the operation will focus on education and the issuance of warnings to violators. Phase two of the operation will focus on the issuance of citations.

Assigned deputies will conduct high visibility patrol details at least three times a week, at 9 different pre-designated “hot spots”, over the three month period.

Deputies will also be handing out free bike lights to those bicyclists they come in contact with that need lights. 

The 9 different “hot spot” locations include:
Seminole Boulevard (Walsingham Road to 94^th Avenue)
Ulmerton Road (Belcher Road to 58^th Street North)
Main Street/ SR 580 (Belcher Road to Patricia Avenue)
Pasadena Ave. (Grevilla Ave. S to Gulf Blvd.)
Gulf Boulevard (75^th Avenue to 37^th Avenue)
Gulf Boulevard (129^th Avenue West to 131^st Avenue West)
Gulf Boulevard (150^th Avenue to 155^th Avenue)
Gulf Boulevard (Central Ave to 1^st St)
Curlew Road (Belcher Road to Northridge Drive)