PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Changes may be on the way to State Road 580 in Pinellas County to make the road safer for pedestrians and improve traffic congestion. 

An ongoing study by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) shows that improvements are needed at several intersections.

Longtime business owner Bill Tsamis is interested to see what may change.

Tsamis and his family have owned Inn Storage of Dunedin on SR-580 since 1980.

He says things looked quite different there 44 years ago.

“It was two lanes, not that crowded in 1980. Now we get thousands of cars a day,” Tsamis said.

It’s now 48,000 cars a day in fact, according FDOT.

State Road 580 now goes from a six-lane to four-lane road between Dunedin and Oldsmar.

Due to recent growth, Tsamis says it’s busier than ever.

“Because Dunedin has gotten so much bigger, and so many more visitors are coming to this area,” Tsamis said.

That’s why FDOT is now completing a study on SR-580 to see how it can handle that extra volume. FDOT representatives recently spoke to residents and business owners about it at a workshop.

The study shows several intersections along SR-580 could use both short and long-term fixes.

“We’re looking at tightening up some of the intersections along the corridor. As well as providing safe access for bicyclists and pedestrians,” said Jensen Hackett, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator with FDOT.

For example, the study shows a high amount of crashes on SR-580 and Alt 19 and at Keene Road.

Both intersections will now be candidates for future projects to improve safety.

Tsamis says he is grateful for the proposals.

“Some really good suggestions. I agreed with some of the spots they were looking at. I like improvements,” Tsamis said.

Hackett says drivers can expect seeing some changes in the next few years, with bigger projects possible down the line. More specific plans will be decided on next year.