Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Support Services Bureau
Strategic Planning Bureau
Grants Administration
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

What:
Pinellas deputies are scheduled to implement Phase II of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Project.

Phase I was an educational based phase. Deputies will now transition to Phase II which is a discretionary citation phase.  

Results of Phase I are provided below.

When:
Phase I began on March 6. 2017.

Phase II will begin on April 11, 2017

Where:
Details are being conducted at 9 locations across Pinellas County:

Seminole Blvd. (Walsingham Rd. to 94th Ave.)
Ulmerton Rd. (Belcher Rd. to 58th St. N)
Main St./SR 580 (Belcher Rd. to Patricia Ave.)
Pasadena Ave. (Grevilla Ave. S to Gulf Blvd.)
Gulf Boulevard (75th Avenue to 37th Avenue)
Gulf Boulevard (129th Avenue West to 131st Avenue West)
Gulf Boulevard (150th Avenue to 155th Avenue)
Gulf Boulevard (Central Ave to 1st St)
Curlew Rd. (Belcher Rd. to Northridge Dr.)

Why/How:
On April 11, 2017, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies will transition the focus of the FDOT High Visibility Enforcement contract for bicycle and pedestrian safety from an educational phase, to a discretionary citation phase.

The purpose of the project is to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist and driver behavior in designated hot spot areas to help reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office received a $29,640 contract from FDOT to implement this project.

The details conducted at multiple locations across Pinellas County 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 results of Phase I are as follows:

Pedestrian Verbal Warnings 170
Pedestrian Written Warnings 18
Pedestrian Citations 0
Motorist Verbal Warnings 80
Motorist Written Warnings 68
Motorist Citations 8
Bicyclist Verbal Warnings 49
Bicyclist Written Warnings 3
Bicyclist Citations 0
Bike Lights Distributed 3

This detail will end in May 2017.