South Tampa neighbors welcome long-awaited safety upgrades along El Prado Boulevard

Tampa sidewalk project to make road safer

A major sidewalk and safety project along El Prado Boulevard in South Tampa is set to begin construction next month. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - For years, Tampa residents along El Prado Boulevard say walking or biking to school, work or nearby destinations has felt unsafe. Now, after years of studies, planning and community advocacy, city leaders are moving forward with a project aimed at making the corridor safer for everyone.

The backstory:

The city of Tampa’s El Prado Boulevard Complete Streets and Sidewalks Project is designed to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety along a 2.2-mile stretch of road from Bayshore Boulevard to South Omar Avenue.

The project includes:

• Reducing the roadway from four lanes to two
• Adding sidewalks on the north side of El Prado Boulevard
• Installing bike lanes
• Creating marked crosswalks with pedestrian walk signals

The effort is funded through a federal grant and is part of Tampa’s Vision Zero initiative, which focuses on reducing traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.

Construction is expected to begin early next month.

Why you should care:

Quinn Rukholm, 18, grew up in Palma Ceia and has spent years walking and biking to school because they lived too close to qualify for bus transportation.

But those daily trips often came with safety concerns.

Rukholm says drivers frequently speed along El Prado Boulevard and recalls being hit by a car while riding a bike on the sidewalk after a driver ran through a stop sign.

Neighbors say the road currently only has sidewalks on the southbound side, while crosswalks and bike lanes are limited or missing altogether.

What they're saying:

Emily Hinsdale, a neighbor and member of Walk Bike Tampa and Sidewalk Stompers, says El Prado Boulevard can feel just as intimidating as trying to cross Dale Mabry Highway.

Hinsdale says despite a posted 30-mph speed limit, the wide four-lane design encourages drivers to move much faster.

Hinsdale says one of the most important improvements will be the addition of marked crosswalks with walk signals, giving pedestrians a safer and clearer way to cross instead of relying on drivers to stop.

Community groups say the project has been more than four years in the making and believe construction finally signals meaningful progress.

What's next:

Residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the project during a public information open house scheduled for Wednesday, May 13.

The meeting will be held at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Construction is expected to begin in early June.