PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Drivers are making U-turns where they’re not supposed to on Tampa Road in East Lake.

What You Need To Know

  • Drivers are ignoring "no U-turn" signs on Tampa Road near East Lake Woodlands

  • Neighbors are worried there’s going to be an accident

  • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) says the signs are there to help the residents from East Lake Woodlands get to and from their community

Neighbors are now worried that a crash will happen there.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) installed three “no U-turn” signs on Tampa Road and Sunflower Drive, which is a back entrance to East Lake Woodlands.

Yet drivers keep ignoring them.

“It’s over and over. It’s not like once in a while. It’s over and over,” said East Lake Woodlands resident Lynn Kennedy.

In just the few minutes Spectrum News was there with Kennedy, many drivers made the illegal U-turn.

Kennedy says her understanding was that FDOT put the “no U-turn” signs there to help residents from East Lake Woodlands turn right onto busy Tampa Road. It also helps them turn left into the neighborhood as well.

FDOT officials say since this entrance is gated, many drivers would make the left turn and realize they would have to turn around, causing conflicts with residents. The signs were put there to prevent that from happening.

“The signs sounded great. If people actually obeyed the law, it would be great,” Kennedy said.

But now she says she always has to worry about drivers ignoring the signs and making the U-turn, anyway.

“It’s very frustrating. There’s going to be a bad accident,” Kennedy said.

She’s hoping to see more enforcement of the issue and to remind drivers why those signs are there in the first place.

For drivers that need to turn around on Tampa Road, the next intersection of Shady Oaks Drive has a traffic light and U-turns are allowed. .

In an email, officials with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office say they hadn’t heard from FDOT about any issues at this intersection. They say they do regularly patrol Tampa Road.

If drivers make an illegal U-turn, that is a moving violation and could get you a ticket with points and a fine in the state of Florida.