Has there ever been a more thrilling obstacle course of highway death than the disaster area that currently makes up stretches of U.S. 19 from Pinellas to Pasco counties? If gridlock’s not clogging this major artery, all the construction will surely slow you down. A quick check of Wikipedia reveals that, statistically, this stretch of road is the most dangerous in the United States. According to a Florida Highway Patrol study quoted on the site, from 1998 to 2003 there were an average of 52 deaths a year on this stretch of 19. Of the 262 fatalities recorded, 100 were pedestrians who got run down while walking on, near or across the road. Construction crews continue much-needed repairs, but for the time being motorists, pedestrians, workers and highway wanderers continue their endless game of chicken. Drive safe everybody. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_19#Florida.
This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2006.