RIVERVIEW, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation and Hillsborough County officials hosted a meeting about proposed improvements to a busy stretch of Gibsonton Road.
The public hearing was held on February 20 at the Riverview Public Library.
FDOT officials are conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study for the proposed improvements to Gibsonton Drive from Fern Hill Drive to US 301 in Hillsborough County.
Gibsonton Drive is an essential east-west connection between US 41 and US 301 in Hillsborough County. Gibsonton Drive connects significant corridors including
US 41, I-75 and US 301.
The public had a chance to comment on the proposed widening of Gibsonton Drive from four lanes to six lanes. The proposed improvement also includes sidewalks and providing more accessibility to people biking or walking.
We spoke to drivers who travel on the road at least three times a week.
"It doesn't move smoothly until you hit 301 and then it will finally clear up and then you can get to the average speed limit," said John Leale who travels the road a few times a week.
"It's just getting so terrible around here. When we came out here, it was all country and now it's all congestion and everywhere you look, it's new homes, apartments," said Linda Young who lives in Riverview.
FDOT collected crash records from 2018 through 2022. A total of 910 crashes were reported including 280 injuries and 2 deaths. Officials said that stretch of road had a higher crash rate than the statewide average for similar roadways.
FDOT officials said the improvements are needed to accommodate traffic volumes for the future and to accommodate projected traffic flows from the proposed reconstruction of I-75/ Gibsonton Drive interchange. Currently, the project does not have funding.
The study began in Summer 2022. You can learn more by clicking here.
