PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Residents who live on Curlew Road say the road construction there is making the already busy road dangerous.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) started a repaving project on Curlew between US 19 and Tampa Road earlier this year.

But recently, drivers noticed changes to some of the medians.

Roland Doucette is the HOA President for Blue Jay Estates. He says the median outside the entrance to Blue Jay is one of the ones changed and it’s leading to confusion.

“I’m really concerned one of our residents is going to be hurt. If not killed, because of what they’ve set up here,” Doucette said in an interview.

He says a turn lane was taken out for drivers on Curlew Road westbound.

“People are expecting that turning lane to be there. When it’s not there, they get confused and step on their brake. And then get rear-ended,” Doucette said.

He witnessed two crashes there in recent weeks and says there’s been others as well.  

He also says the change has forced some drivers to try turning into the next opening they see in the median, which is a turn lane for the opposite direction of traffic on Curlew.

FDOT does now have a one-way sign there, but Doucette says it can be hard to see. 

Now he and his neighbors are wondering why these changes were made and whether they will be the final layout.

FDOT officials say the project is for repaving the road and also upgrading the sidewalks and traffic signals there. The road work is expected to be done by the summer of 2024. But it’s unclear if the median changes will be permanent.

Doucette is hoping for at least some better signage there during the road work.

“The median should have one-way signs all over it. But since the signage isn’t here yet, it’s only a matter of time before we have a head on collision right in that spot,” Doucette said.