TAMPA, Fla. — The Sulphur Springs community in Tampa hasn’t seen a major neighborhood improvement plan in decades — but that’s changing now.
The neighborhood has four roadways that run through it that are considered to be a part of the city’s “high injury network.”
Those are roads identified by the city where the majority of Tampa’s deadly and life-altering injury crashes happen.
City records show 110 traffic crashes in Sulphur Springs resulted in serious injuries or fatalities between 2018 and 2022.
But with a new city push to make improvements in the neighborhood, business owners like Lilianna Haas are optimistic that it will make the area even more welcoming.
Haas is used to helping thousands of brides each year find their perfect gown for the big day.
“Make their day special, and take them from ‘I dream’ to ‘I do,’" Haas said of her business, Truly Forever Bridal.
And, working in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood, Haas is also familiar with traffic headaches.
“Heavy congestion for sure,” she said. “More traffic every year.”
At a community meeting Wednesday, the city of Tampa opened the floor to hear what residents like Norma Robinson would like to see when it comes to neighborhood improvements. Her biggest wish?
“Fix the sidewalks so our kids can get to school safely,” she said.
Traditional traffic woes were just a fraction of the complaints neighbors said they want the city to fix.
They’re also asking for added curbs, more bike and pedestrian-friendly streets and tax incentives to bring pharmacies and grocery stores into the neighborhood that will hire employees within the zip code.
City representatives say that they’re all ears.
“The last neighborhood plan for Sulphur Springs was completed in the 1980s,” City Planning Director Stephen Venson said. “So, we are long overdue to come and put together a new plan to help us figure out how we’re going to get to that vision that everyone wants to see.”
Venson says they are going to look at what immediate actions they can take to make improvements along the way, while also crafting long-term plans.
City representatives say if you have input that you’d like to be considered in the improvement plan, you can do that by clicking here.