Pinellas County outlines interim emergency-access fixes at Keystone Road and East Lake Road
June 26, 2026 | Pinellas County, Florida
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Pinellas County Public Works presented an interim set of improvements for the Keystone Road and East Lake Road intersection aimed at reducing congestion and improving emergency response times.
The county's transportation engineering section manager, Helen Roberts, said the project would add a third left-turn lane on the west leg of Keystone Road, a new northbound through lane on East Lake Road that will merge near Lake View Church, a second westbound through lane to Buffalo Avenue, and a dedicated left-turn lane onto Old Keystone Road. "The goal of the project is to reduce traffic congestion and improve overall traffic flow at the intersection for all users," Roberts said. She added the changes are intended to "provide adequate space for vehicles to safely pull aside" so emergency vehicles can pass.
Why it matters: Roberts and other staff described the intersection as heavily congested with queuing that can delay first responders from East Lake Fire Station 58 and Tarpon Springs Fire and Rescue. Officials said the measures are intended as near-term operational fixes while a longer East Lake Road corridor study develops permanent solutions.
Design and schedule: County staff said design work is underway and is planned to be completed by the end of this year; construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in summer 2027 and is expected to take about 18 months, concluding in early 2029. Presenters stressed the interim improvements are planned to remain within existing right-of-way and do not require property acquisition.
Construction impacts and traffic control: Presenters warned of phased traffic control and occasional short-term lane closures but said both roadways will remain open during construction with no planned full detours. Lane closures will be coordinated to avoid peak periods, and detailed traffic updates will be posted on the project website. Jason Yam, the roadway consultant, said much of the lane-widening work is expected to be daytime construction; nighttime paving may be used later when required.
Project management and funding: Presenters displayed the project manager's contact and said the county will post the recorded meeting and materials on the project page. The project is funded by the county's local penny program and staff said they are pursuing grants to supplement the budget.
Next steps: Staff directed residents to the East Lake Road corridor study webpages for updates on long-term alternatives and said the county will provide monthly updates or post major developments to the project website. For more information, the county listed the project webpage and the project manager's contact information on the slides.
The county's transportation engineering section manager, Helen Roberts, said the project would add a third left-turn lane on the west leg of Keystone Road, a new northbound through lane on East Lake Road that will merge near Lake View Church, a second westbound through lane to Buffalo Avenue, and a dedicated left-turn lane onto Old Keystone Road. "The goal of the project is to reduce traffic congestion and improve overall traffic flow at the intersection for all users," Roberts said. She added the changes are intended to "provide adequate space for vehicles to safely pull aside" so emergency vehicles can pass.
Why it matters: Roberts and other staff described the intersection as heavily congested with queuing that can delay first responders from East Lake Fire Station 58 and Tarpon Springs Fire and Rescue. Officials said the measures are intended as near-term operational fixes while a longer East Lake Road corridor study develops permanent solutions.
Design and schedule: County staff said design work is underway and is planned to be completed by the end of this year; construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in summer 2027 and is expected to take about 18 months, concluding in early 2029. Presenters stressed the interim improvements are planned to remain within existing right-of-way and do not require property acquisition.
Construction impacts and traffic control: Presenters warned of phased traffic control and occasional short-term lane closures but said both roadways will remain open during construction with no planned full detours. Lane closures will be coordinated to avoid peak periods, and detailed traffic updates will be posted on the project website. Jason Yam, the roadway consultant, said much of the lane-widening work is expected to be daytime construction; nighttime paving may be used later when required.
Project management and funding: Presenters displayed the project manager's contact and said the county will post the recorded meeting and materials on the project page. The project is funded by the county's local penny program and staff said they are pursuing grants to supplement the budget.
Next steps: Staff directed residents to the East Lake Road corridor study webpages for updates on long-term alternatives and said the county will provide monthly updates or post major developments to the project website. For more information, the county listed the project webpage and the project manager's contact information on the slides.
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