How many times have you wanted to drive through an intersection but cars in front of you were turning, causing a traffic back up?
That problem is common at Belleair Road and Belcher Road in Clearwater, where turning traffic routinely backs up into the main lanes.
But help may be on the way.
Pinellas County traffic officials are planning to lengthen the turning lanes in all directions at the intersection. In fact, all the new turning lanes will be lengthened to at least 300 feet long.
"Currently they're only about fifty feet long, (which is) very short," said Ivan Fernandez, Pinellas County Design Division Manager. "(It) is one of the primary reasons you have congestion at that intersection."
It may be needed but it certainly is not cheap.
Fernandez said cost will be a little more than $1 million and take about 10 months of construction to complete. About half is being paid for through a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation.
"Fifty percent of this project is being paid from grants through the state," Fernandez said. "The other 50 percent is being paid through the Penny for Pinellas Sales Tax."
The project also will include improved drainage for the intersection and new signals. Once completed, the signal timing will be adjusted to allow even more traffic to pass through.
Still, it may be a while before construction starts.
The project is currently in the design phase and a contractor will be hired in the fall with actual work beginning near the end of the year.