PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Clearwater City Council members voted unanimously Thursday night to postpone a vote on a project meant to improve safety along Drew Street.

People both for and against the plan packed last night’s council meeting.

Members decided to hold off on a decision to give themselves time to meet with Forward Pinellas and FDOT to get any questions answered and possibly come up with compromises.

The sticking point is that the plan involves reducing Drew Street from four to two lanes between Keene Road and Osceola Avenue, and add a center turn lane.

Council members questioned whether it would actually ease congestion on this major artery to downtown.

Nathaniel Chason, who said he drives Drew Street every day, said his commute can be challenging.

“When you have to stop and cars are turning left, it basically stops traffic, you know? Twenty cars behind you sometimes,” he said. “And then, also, you have to worry that you’re not. Some people turn their kind of wheel into the traffic. You have to make sure your front panel isn’t kind of off into the next lane.”

Forward Pinellas’ Executive Director Whit Blanton said the nearly $20 million project is mostly funded by federal dollars.

Those have to be allocated by June 10.

If the council doesn’t approve the project by then, that money could go to other projects in the county.