PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Drivers in Tampa Bay are used to long waits at traffic lights.

What You Need To Know

  • Drivers are concerned with the traffic light timing on SR-54 and Bexley Village Drive in Pasco County

  • Traffic making a left turn is waiting several light cycles to get through

  • FDOT says a detection equipment issue has now been corrected

  • Want to suggest a Traffic Inbox story? Click here

But there’s one intersection in Pasco County that neighbor Don Hassee is frustrated with: State Road 54 and Bexley Village Drive, just east of the Veterans Expressway.

Hassee says making a left turn into the Bexley neighborhood can take forever.

“If I’m about 10 cars back, I know it’s going to be tough to make a light. So I have to have to be patient and wait for two cycles,” Hassee said.

That area of Pasco County has seen a lot of growth in recent years, with new housing and businesses. That of course leads to more traffic.

Hassee timed the left turn light a few times while doing an interview with Spectrum News, showing it go between 20 to 25 seconds. He says that’s not enough time to move traffic through.

His concern isn’t just the wait, but the traffic from the turn lanes backing up onto busy SR-54.

“Then you’ve got traffic out on 54. And those people are having trouble getting through as well,” Hassee said.

He says it’s particularly a problem during rush hour.

He was hoping to see the Florida Department of Transportation consider changing the timing on the traffic light to let more drivers through.

FDOT officials checked on this intersection after Spectrum News asked about it. They say a detection equipment issue has now been corrected. They say they’ll continue to work with Pasco County on any further issues.

Hassee hopes the fix improves the commute home.

“People are coming home. It’s the end of their day. They’re tired. They want to get home. If they could get an extra cycle through, it just makes the traffic flow so much more smoothly,” Hassee said.