TAMPA, Fla. — Tuesday night, the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization put pen and paper into the community's hands, asking them to tell them what's working and not working, what they want to see change, and the legacy they want to leave along two of Tampa's most dangerous roads.
Studies have shown that most fatalities happen along portions of Sligh Avenue and Waters Avenue.
Hillsborough TPO is in the process of figuring out how to stop these accidents. The areas of focus are the 2-mile stretch of Sligh Avenue between Armenia and Nebraska and a 1.5-mile stretch of Waters Avenue between Florida and Armenia.
At the corner of Florida and Waters sits Boyz to Men Barbershop. That's where Ken Lewis Sr. works. He's been there for the last two years.
"We see about an accident at least once a week. The worst I've seen is (when) a Challenger came through and hit an old man with a walker. He got hit, and his ankle was in pretty bad shape. He was hospitalized. So that's how bad it can get. And then we see fender benders every other day at this intersection," Lewis said.
Shattered glass and plastic remnants scattered along the sidewalk, memories of accidents in the past.
Calvin Hordge works at the barbershop as well. Standing on that sidewalk, he pointed across the street at damage on a pole.
"She hit right here somewhere, and it spun around. She hit this post and was just stuck in the car like that, just looking at the pole," he recalled.
He's worked at the intersection for 10 years. He's even seen friends become victims.
"The last accident I (saw) was with a guy named Al. He was crossing the street. And this girl turned this way and hit him. And that was bad," he said.
Hordge mirrors Lewis' sentiments; accidents are common in the area.
"(We're) in the barbershop, and all of a sudden, you hear something go boom, and everybody (comes) outside and say, 'Look like there's another one,'" he added.
Now Hillsborough TPO is working to make sure people in these communities don't have to hear a crash and think not again.
Lisa Silva, the Principal Planner for Hillsborough TPO, says the work began long ago, pinpointing the areas in the most need.
"The work that proceeds this is our Vision Zero Action Plan. And that is the premise that one fatality is too many." Silva said.
The first step is getting community input.
"We're there to make sure that our projects are reflective of the community. So this is one of our tools to go seek the community," she said.
Lewis and Hordge feel the issue isn't what transportation planners have done. The issue is human nature.
"The first thing we can do as adults is definitely leave before on time. Make sure you make time for traffic and lights and stuff like that. So you are not in a rush. (If) we do that, I think that could cut down at least 30 to 40% of the accidents that we see. Because they're all careless incidents like that," Lewis said.
If you missed the meeting on Tuesday, you can still fill out the survey.
The next meeting is Oct. 10 at the Salvation Army on Sligh Avenue. That meeting will introduce draft designs crafted from the ideas brought up in Tuesday's meeting and from the survey results.
