With the high price of gasoline and a declining housing and job market many residents of Pinellas County are contemplating alternative methods of traveling to their work destinations.  Some are considering using the bicycle to get back and forth from work.  This may work for some if they have a good bike, proper safety equipment such as bike reflectors, and a helmet.  Yet, if this is the chosen method of transportation, a proper understanding of the road and the traffic laws is crucial to remaining safe.  Some roads in Pinellas County are just too congested for bike travel.  For instance, US 19 is far too congested and poorly constructed for bike traffic.  That holds true if you're in Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, or St. Petersburg.  Gandy Boulevard in south Pinellas County may work in some areas but is also dangerous and not really designed to accomodate bike traffic.  The Pinellas Trail is ideal but doesn't really provide easy access to many job sites.  For instance, if one wanted to bike from Seminole or Largo to St. Petersburg, the trail could be used depending on the location of the job site in St. Petersburg.  If the job is in the Tyrone area, easy access is not really there.

Another alternative is the mass transit or bus system.  However that also has its drawbacks since it's time consuming and doesn't cover all the areas of northern and southern Pinellas County. 

It's tough to make alternative transportation plans but it can be done with adequate planning of the route, safety measures, and time.