Tampa intersection improvements get $13M boost from Hillsborough County as pothole program hits 4 years

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa is getting a major cash boost for its roadways. Hillsborough County just transferred $13 million to the City of Tampa to improve intersections.

The funding will pay for new traffic signals, crosswalks, and design upgrades aimed at easing congestion and cutting down on crashes.

What we know:

The announcement comes as the city marks four years of its "Fix It Fast" program, created in 2021 to repair potholes and other street problems within 72 hours of being reported. Since then, crews have repaired nearly 18,000 potholes.

Mayor Jane Castor called those repairs necessary, but temporary.

"Fixing those potholes is really just the Band-Aid. That’s not the solution. The solution is repaving the streets. And that’s one of the reasons we implemented two paving crews," she said during a Tuesday news conference.

By the numbers:

Interim Mobility Director Brandon Campbell said the program is about responding quickly to common issues that affect drivers every day.

"We’ve got a 72-hour turnaround time from report to fix on potholes. Beyond potholes, we also address critical sign issues even faster… We have a two-hour target to respond to those issues because we know they are a major safety issue," Campbell said. 

Along with potholes, crews have repaired tens of thousands of square feet of pavement erosion and asphalt delamination, plus more than 3,000 street signs.

What's next:

With the county transfer and a paving budget that has grown from $10 million to more than $40 million, city officials say Tampa drivers should expect both faster patch jobs and more lasting resurfacing projects.

Castor praised the workers behind the effort.

"Our crew has filled in 18,000 potholes in our city… I couldn’t be more proud of our team. We would have them all lined up behind us, but they’re out there on the streets fixing it fast right now," she said.