Two Plant City High School students were killed in a motorcycle crash Friday at the intersection of Bay to Bay Boulevard and Lois Avenue, where a traffic signal and other safety improvements are under review.
The city of Tampa staff in conjunction with Hillsborough County have been trying to secure funding for years to improve the safety at this dangerous intersection, but the money just isn’t available, according to reports.
Ove the past two months, Tampa city staff have been looking at taking temporary measures to keep pedestrians safe from the short distance near a school and park, such as a pedestrian-activated crossing (a rectangular flashing beacon) like the ones you can see Bayshore Boulevard.
The Plant City High School students were heading east on Bay to Bay at high speeds when a car stopped at the Lois Avenue stop sign drover into them. The 17-year-old driver and 15-year-old passenger died from their injuries in the crash.
While a traffic signal would modify the way vehicles can access the intersection, the temporary safety measures the city is considering would not have prevented the crash from occurring, according to the city of Tampa mobility director. He also said that the city has no money available for these safety projects.
Bay to Bay Boulevard is a county-owned road within Tampa’s city limits. There is an agreement between the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County that the city will design the improvements needed and the county will find the ways to fund them.
This specific intersection would need two flashing pedestrian beacons that each cost around $15,000. The cost of a traffic signal at Bay to Bay and Lois is projected to cost around $550,000.
The city says it is very committed to improving pedestrian safety and are taking strides to reduce the number of pedestrians killed in Tampa – 80 so far this year – to zero.
Pedestrian accidents are most often the result of negligence on the part of a driver. These accidents may occur because of driver error, driver distraction, driver inattention, or simply disobeying traffic laws. When these accidents happen, it is important to gather critical evidence to show that the driver’s actions cause the damages suffered. Evidence for these cases may include:
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- Footage from Security Cameras Nearby: A crash may have been captured by neighboring businesses or cameras at parking lots or even traffic cameras operated by the city of Tampa. This footage is usually only stored for a brief period so it must be obtained immediately after an accident to help your case.
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