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Neighbors concerned about traffic dangers during Hillsborough High pickup and drop-off

Residents say problems include speeding
Posted at 4:55 PM, Aug 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-15 06:22:22-04

A Tampa neighborhood is taking a stand against speeding and impatient drivers they say are putting kids at Hillsborough High School at risk.

People who live around Hillsborough High School say they routinely see drivers picking up kids heading into oncoming traffic. Other drivers are making illegal u-turns in the middle of the road.

Stephen Wilson lives nearby and said it may only be a matter of time before the area sees road rage as a result of the frustrated drivers.

"Honking horns, sometimes people yelling at people out of car windows," he said.

Neighbors like Wilson are now bringing some of the problems to light.

They say impatient drivers are crossing into oncoming traffic to get ahead in the pick up and drop off line. Some say they have witnessed many close calls.

Others on Facebook calling some drivers in the area "crazy" saying there are often near misses with pedestrians.

Hillsborough High School asks that people pick up and drop off students on Central Avenue, a four-lane road that won't completely stop the flow of traffic.

"People get pretty angry," Wilson said. "People are impatient."

Other people picking up kids appear to be creating their own rules. Neighbors say many people are picking up and dropping off kids on the typically quiet, two-lane side roads, instead of on Central Ave. Often, they are stopping the flow of traffic completely as their kids get in and out of the vehicle, neighbors said.

"Occasionally you'll be sitting here and you'll hear the screech of brakes as well as people who have come to a complete stop," Wilson said.

This also comes as other drivers are trying to avoid traffic on Hillsborough and Florida Avenue. Neighbors say many of these drivers are cutting through on the side streets and are speeding.

"They come through fast," said Carol Meyers, who has lived in the area for about a year. "They don't slow down even though this is a quiet neighborhood."

The Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association is working on getting the city to address traffic issues, said one member in a Facebook post in a neighborhood community group. They recommend people contact Tampa Police with complaints about the traffic. They also encourage residents to safely take video of the traffic conditions for police.