TAMPA, Fla. — The City of Tampa is making pedestrians a priority.
As a bike delivery driver, Darin Underwood knows every bend and curve of the streets of downtown Tampa.
“I ride through Franklin probably 20 times a day,” Underwood said.
He also knows the intersection of N. Franklin Street and E. Zack Street isn’t always the safest for bikers and pedestrians.
“Sometimes some people don’t be paying attention to the lights sometimes,” he said.
It is an issue the City of Tampa is addressing. The mobility department has converted the traffic lights at the intersection of Franklin and Zack into a four-way stop. All drivers will be expected to stop before proceeding, and pedestrians will no longer have to wait for a walk signal.
“I have to admit, sometimes I walk across the street and miss the little red hand. If there’s no traffic, I just cross,” said Janet Skeens.
A recent traffic study showed that there are more people walking than driving on Franklin street. In a 12-hour period, there were about 2,600 pedestrian crossings.
“We had almost the same amount of people walking on Franklin street as we did on the Tampa River Walk, so the numbers really are striking,” said Karen Kress, the Director of Transportation and Planning at the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
Transitioning to a four-way stop prioritizes access for pedestrians.
“Right now, the signal is really more or less telling pedestrians to stop for cars. A four-way stop tells cars to stop for pedestrians," said Brandon Campbell, City of Tampa Smart Mobility Manager.
For the time being, the current traffic signals will flash red. After a transition period, the lights will be removed, leaving the new stop signs in place.
