Hillsborough County's forthcoming Brandon Regional Service Center is going to have an impact on local drivers, no doubt about that.
When construction begins in 2005 on the $4.2-million, 25,000-square-foot building, traffic along its adjoining roads, Pauls and Oakfield drives, may slow a little.
But at least one official is hoping to make another impacted area safe for drivers: The parking lot.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy Kelly McLaren has led efforts to give the sheriff's office some say in the design of the parking lot in an attempt to protect service center visitors and curtail crime.
McLaren would like to see county planners take some crime prevention strategies into consideration, "to alleviate some potential problems in the future."
The county has planned a lighted, 150-space lot outside the service center. McLaren, who works out of a community resource station in Brandon, is keeping a close eye on construction to prevent car break-ins and keep late-night workers safe..
McLaren is a believer in crime prevention through environmental design, otherwise known as CPTED (pronounced "sep-ted"). It's a nationwide law enforcement philosophy that encourages such elements as parking lots that are visible from main roads and discourage things like high hedges, which can be a good place for someone to hide.
"I'd rather try to have some input and help out now instead of having to come in in a couple of years and have to convince them to spend money to fix a problem because the crime rate did increase," McLaren said.
So far, the county has welcomed her input. During the last public meeting on the service center, held last month in Brandon, McLaren spoke at length about parking lot safety with senior architects and county officials.
"They were very receptive, and I was very appreciative of that," she said. "They do want to work with the sheriff's office, so I think that's a good first step."
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, there are a lot of jerks on Florida's roads.
Don't blame the Lane Ranger for saying this. It's a fact. Just look at the results from the Florida Highway Patrol's "Operation Safe Ride," a two-day enforcement event held last weekend to help curtail road rage.
And boy, was there a lot to curtail. Across the state, 663 drivers were cited for aggressive driving. Seventeen were hit with charges of reckless driving. Another 4,748 received speeding tickets.
In all, FHP officials handed out more than 6,500 tickets between Feb. 26 and 27. Forty-eight hours and 6,500 tickets amounts to more than two tickets every minute across the state.
To all drivers, the Ranger says: Relax. Breathe deeply. Count to 10. And the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, let those numbers remind you that it's only a matter of time before the FHP will catch them.
AND FINALLY, your stat of the day: 100,000.
That's how many fliers toll booth operators are handing out to drivers on the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, according to Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority spokeswoman PerryDawn Brown.
The fliers are given to selected cash-paying customers as they pass through each plaza, informing each one of the 25-cent toll increase that will go into effect on the Crosstown starting March 7. SunPass owners will be exempt from the increase.
The fliers aren't exactly limited-edition, but who knows? Maybe someday we'll see them on Antiques Roadshow as a relic of days when people actually had a use for their leftover quarters.
The Lane Ranger has two. Get yours while supplies last.
- The Lane Ranger is currently stuck in traffic. But he can be reached at cridlin@sptimes.com
