HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, fla — This week marks Safe Streets Week, during which leaders in Florida continue to seek ways to make the state's streets safer for everyone.
Florida ranks among the top 10 deadliest states for pedestrians, with new data showing pedestrian deaths in Florida jumped 80 percent in the last 15 years.
“It’s still over 200 people that we are killing with traffic violence every year,” Lisa Silva with Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization said
Beth Alden from Walk Bike Tampa said that when one person is killed or seriously injured on our roads, there is a ripple effect.
“That’s a lot every year. Then you think about the families, and you have to multiply the impact of everybody in those families.”
That is why they are searching for solutions to prevent this from continuing to happen in our community.
Gil Penalosa from 8 80 cities is in town to share insight. He travels all over the world to help create safer streets in cities.
“Last week, I was in Istanbul,” Penalosa said.
He recognized the Tampa Bay region is dangerous for walkers and bikers, but also shared some solutions.
“For example, the speed has to be lower in neighborhoods to 20 miles per hour,” Penalosa said.
He also suggested more sidewalks and fewer sharp turns. These were just a few potential solutions, but he said reducing the pedestrian death rate to zero is possible.
“It is completely doable, just got to make the commitment,” Penalosa said.
You can share your input on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at a free community conversation at the Seminole Heights Garden Center. Free child care will be available.
Thursday is the Gulf Coast Safe Streets Summit, a ticketed event. Click herefor more information.
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