It’s no secret that Tampa is a shit place to be a pedestrian, but a concerned group of Palma Ceia residents is hoping that Hillsborough County will move forward with a plan from Commissioner Mariella Smith’s that could make at least one roadway — Bay to Bay Boulevard — a little safer.
“Bay to Bay Boulevard is dangerous,” Tampa advocacy group Sidewalk Stompers wrote in a statement. The group says that ‘70s-era passing lanes encourage aggressive driving through South Tampa school zones, while also increasing crashes on left-hand turns.
“Contact County Commissioners today and encourage them to support #CompleteStreets,” it added.
The group — which encourages neighborhood schoolchildren to walk to school — is asking supporters to contact county commissioners before a February 20 vote on Smith’s motion.
The effort comes months after Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced that the city would not move forward with its Bay to Bay Boulevard Complete Street project. Original plans included a “road diet” that called for cutting four lanes of traffic down to three, while designating the middle lane for turning in both directions. Bike lanes, a narrowing of road and other traffic-calming measures were also included.
WFTS said that from 2011 to 2015, a new city traffic study shows an 860-percent increase in crashes between Bayshore Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway — from 5 to 43.
Some business owners opposed to the plan said that it would create even more traffic on the heavily traveled road, which might affect their bottom line. Proponents, on the other hand, argue that a safe street would encourage more walk-up traffic for local businesses.
The county commissioners meeting happens on Wednesday, February 20 at 9 a.m., and it takes place at the county center in downtown Tampa (601 E. Kennedy Blvd. 2nd Floor Boardroom).
This article appears in Feb 14-21, 2019.