TAMPA, Fla — Built back in the 1920s, Davis Islands is an iconic part of Tampa’s history. It meets the mark when it comes to atmosphere and views while taking a walk or run by the water, but it's been in need of safety upgrades for pedestrians.
In April, the city announced the completion of several improvements for drivers as part of the Vision Zero safety initiative. The goal is to eliminate injuries and deaths on the road.
With that in mind, city leaders upgraded infrastructure projects to include new bike lanes to crosswalks, four-way stops, lower speed limits and narrowed lanes. Leaders say smaller lanes encourage drivers to slow down.
“This is a great example of how the city is leveraging its maintenance projects to fulfill its Vision Zero goal,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “These safety improvements only add a fraction to the overall cost of the project, while providing huge safety benefits for our road’s most vulnerable users.”
Additional handicap parking and new bike racks will be added. Pavement and drainage improvements will coincide with the ongoing work as well.
The work is part of the Davis Islands Road Safety Improvements project. So far, two phases of the three-phase project are complete. Work is also underway as part of the Davis Boulevard Complete Streets project.
“We hope that drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists will feel more secure as they make their way around Davis Islands thanks to these safety improvements,” Vik Bhide, city of Tampa mobility director, said. “We are confident that by adding proven measures to slow drivers down, this will help reduce the likelihood of serious crashes and injuries on our roads.”