RE: MILE MARKERS COMING TO GULF BOULEVARD

If we are lucky...we will be installing install 25 MILE MAKERS from PASS A GRILLE (St Pete Beach) to NORTH CLEARWATER BEACH.

Who are we? A group of interested citizens and business people along the Pinellas Gulf Coast.

This all started in 1998 when BOB GRIFFIN of Indian Rocks Beach, proposed to the Chamber of Commerce the idea of installing MILE MARKERS along the beach, the same way they have MILE MARKERS in the Florida Keys.

In the FLORIDA KEYS everyone goes places referring to their Mile Marker location (MM). If they are at 98572 Overseas Hwy in Key Largo, they are also at MM 98.5. (This is helpful in Marathon where the street addresses and the Mile Markers have no correlation.) MM 106 is in upper Key Largo and MM 0 is in Key West.

Here in Pinellas, Mile Marker 0 will be in the South end of Pass A Grille Way and MM 25 will be 1.5 miles north of the circle in Clearwater Beach on Mandalay.

The road way changes names several times from South to North (Pass A Grille Way, Gulf Blvd, Blind Pass Road, Gulf Blvd, South Gulfview Blvd, Mandalay Avenue.)

On the Gulf Beaches, if you were a tourist and wanted to go to JOHNS PASS VILLAGE, you simply get on the Trolley and go to MM 8; the Clearwater Marina is at MM 23.5, and the Don Cesar is at MM 1.8.

For people who are not on the main artery, residents can still refer to the residence as being near a MM number.

The PSTA has plans to compliment this idea, and plans to add a number to their existing signs for the SUNCOAST TROLLEY using decimal points, such as stop #16.2 in Indian Rocks Beach.

None of this will get started until GRIFFIN and the CHAMBERS raise $3,000 to get the signs professionally made. GRIFFIN will be asking beach motels, beach businesses and residents to write a check for $100 each. When we get 30 of them, we can get started. (Griffin has already written the first check.)

Anyone wanting more information on this project, can call BOB GRIFFIN at 727-517-1997 or the Presidents of either the TAMPA BAY BEACHES CHAMBER (Debbie Stanbaugh 727-360-6957) or Clearwater Beach Chamber (Sheila Cole at 727-447-7600).

Here is the time line of this project: 6 / 1998: Idea is introduced to many area groups and the two beach Chamber of Commerces.

7/ 1998: Media articles start to appear in local print.

8 / 1998: Gulf Beaches Chamber of Commerce then President John Bowers, endorses the concept.

9 /1998: Griffin sent FDOT proposal to install Mile Markers along the West Coast of Pinellas County from Pass A Grille to Clearwater Beach.

10/ 14 / 98: See St Pete Times article about FDOT and MILE MARKERS

One year later:

8/10/ 1999: FDOT sends GRIFFIN letter stating that the proposal has been accepted in Tallahassee and “our office will begin the process of field reviewing proposed sign locations. This should be completed in the next several months”.

5 / 2000: FDOT sends letter to GRIFFIN that proposal has been formally approved. (However, the DOT plans to install the very small signs seen along interstates, some as small as 10” x 18”). They stipulate that “local jurisdictions must install and maintain these signs. All jurisdictions from PASS A GRILLE to North CLEARWATER BEACH must agree.”

8 / 22/ 2000: Griffin sends letter to DOT; still nothing had been done. FDOT responding by stating that they had budgetary shortfalls and had no money for this project (materials or labor).

3/ 2001: Some time around March 2001, the GULF BLVD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT was announced and the MILE MARKER program was included in the ideas.

TWO YEARS LATER:

4 / 2003: GULF BLVD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT has difficulty getting started due to $80 million price tag and funding sources (See St Pete Times 4/ 20 / 03). Mile Markers in GBIP to cost $80,000.

5/1/ 03: Griffin gets bid on MILE MARKER SIGNS at $3,000...to be installed by local governments. Griffin starts fund raising drive called “SPONSOR A MILE” for $100 each.

5/ 16 / 2003: Griffin submits to FDOT sign drawing showing his 24” 30” sign and the use of the PSTA’s graphic (Sunburst). 5/ 20/ 03 approved by Kevin Dunn of FDOT with minor changes.

6/ 1/ 2003: Fund Raising Campaign started with the help of two chambers. Goal is to raise $3,000 and have signs up by end of Summer / 2003.

Bob Griffin Publisher of... Beach Directory® Keys Directory TM Guest Directories Best Restaurant Magazine www.seefloridaonline.com