Bay To Bay To Be Repaved Now; Road Diet May Come Later

TAMPA, FL -- Residents and business owners in the Bay to Bay Boulevard in South Tampa may have had one issue on their minds when thy attended Wednesday's Hillsborough County Commission meeting. But they weren't necessarily united.

It quickly became apparent that the community is divided when it comes to improving the busy four-lane road.

Although located within the City of Tampa, the county is responsible for maintaining and improving Bay to Bay Boulevard under a long-standing interlocal agreement between the county and the city. There are 50 miles of roads within the city limits that are included in the interlocal agreement.

As a result, said County Commissioner Sandy Murman, whose district includes most of those 50 miles of roads, there's a lot of confusion about who is ultimately responsible for road improvements.

This became apparent several weeks ago when those living and worked around Bay to Bay learned that the county was planning to repave the pothole-marked road.

On Feb. 8, the City of Tampa hosted a workshop to unveil plans to redesign the 1.7-mile road. The county's and city's plans seemed at cross purposes.

So residents decided to go directly to the county commission to voice their opinions.

Among those attending the commission meeting were parents of students who attend Roosevelt Elementary School. About 200 students have to cross Bay to Bay every morning and afternoon to get to and from school.

Emily Hinsdale said she's been walking her children to Roosevelt Elementary School for nine years and said the trip to and from school has become increasingly hazardous.

"Repaving (Bay to Bay) exactly the same way will only make it faster and more dangerous for children," she said. "We’re asking you for our children’s lives."

She and fellow parents urged the commission to hold off paving the road and, instead, implement the redesign proposed by city staff.

Bay to Bay Boulevard from Manhattan Avenue to Bayshore Boulevard has a posted speed limit of 35 mph that the parents say is often ignored by drivers. The sidewalks narrow and situated next to the road with a series of utility poles plopped in the middle of them. Bike lanes are non-existent and the road's lack of sight distance prevents pedestrians from seeing a car until it's already on top of them.

Under the plan proposed by the city, called the Bay to Bay Boulevard Complete Streets Project, the road would be completely transformed from a four-lane road with numerous curb cuts to a three-lane divided road with ample pedestrian walkways and bike lanes.

This type of design that reduces road lanes has been nicknamed a "road diet."

Studies have shown this design actually creates better traffic flow while increasing the safety of bicyclists, walkers and drivers. According to the study by Tampa engineers, the redesign would reduce crashes by 29 percent and increase traffic flow by 7 to 15 percent.

But while the city was working on the redesign, the county was making plans to repave the existing road, which is pitted with potholes that constantly have to be refilled.

The parents urged commissioners to put the repaving on hold and, instead, adopt the city's redesign plan.

Not all residents agreed.

Chelsea Johnson urged county commissioners to proceed with the plans to repave the road.
"I'm appalled that we're here today discussing a road diet," she said. "We depend too much on our cars. We're not ready to reduce lanes. You can't put your elderly parents on a bike and take them to the hospital."

James Blocker, who has owned the Lamp Repair and Shade Studio on Bay to Bay for 22 years, said repaving can't wait.

"If you don't repave the road, it's only going to get worse," he said.

He noted that the school children only cross the road during a two-hour period. But he and fellow business owners have to put up with the traffic congestion on the road eight-plus hours a day.

"It's already backed up," he said. "If you reduce the road, it's going to get worse."

Commissioner Sandy Murman said this controversy points to the need to renegotiate the interlocal agreement with the city

"I'm going into my ninth year (as a commissioner) and it's been a pain," she said of the interlocal agreement. "We need to discuss transferring ownership of these roads to the city."

Commissioner Mariella Smith agreed.

"It’s such a quagmire for the citizens," she said. "It's better government to have the residents negotiating with their city government."

"This is a very, very local street and it should be the city’s responsibility," said Commissioner Pat Kemp.

The commission agreed to broach the subject with the city following the city elections in March.

Although commissioners said they support the city's plan to redesign the road, they voted unanimously to go ahead with the repaving. The project will get underway on Monday and be completed within a month.

Once the road is repaved, Murman suggested that the county look at adding safety measures.

"Pavement markings, reduced speed limits, crosswalk upgrades that may enhance the safety -- any of these can be done after the resurfacing," she said. She also suggested that the county encourage the city to hire crossing guards to help school children across the road safely.

As for putting Bay to Bay on a road diet, the commission agreed that decision should be left up to the city. Currently, the city council is in favor of the redesign but Mayor Bob Buckhorn isn't. The commission suggested that county staff urge the city to readdress the road diet when the new mayor takes office in March.

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