HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A viewer contacted our Driving Tampa Bay Forward tip line about safety issues on Fletcher Avenue in Tampa.
After investigating the concerns, we found that there is not much lighting in the area, and the road markings are fading. That viewer said it creates a dangerous situation for people who drive there in the dark.
“It's not an issue of speeding. It's an issue of visibility. You can't see anything,” Latrece Rowell said. She lives in the area, and Fletcher Avenue used to be part of her commute.
“I just hate that I have to take a different street to come home at night because this one is so dark,” Rowell said.
She said it's not safe to drive on the street in the dark because of the lack of lighting. In some areas, you can't see any of the road markings, making it difficult to differentiate between lanes—especially in the dark.
We contacted the county, who said the traffic team will conduct a safety review of the corridor, looking into the pavement markings and crash history. The county spokesperson said any additional lighting would need to be justified by that review.
We will follow up with the county after they complete the safety review.
