TAMPA, Fla. — From safety concerns to a growing population and a whole host of concerned neighbors, Tampa leaders said all eyes are on Fowler Avenue now that redevelopment plans are in the works.
On any day, at the right hour, Fowler avenue can get pretty hectic, and while city leaders have made some changes to increase safety, people living and working there said it's still dangerous.
"We’ve actually seen about two or three bike hits in the past. Just like in a one-year span alone," said Andres Acosta, who works at Dr. Mechanic Auto Repair, said.
Acosta's family's business is right on Fowler Avenue. He said it’s not a very pedestrian-friendly area, and more crosswalks are needed.
"We have a lot of people that jaywalk in between before the lights and it's because if you look from one light to the next, it's quite a distance," Acosta added.
Concerns like these helped create the Fowler Avenue Vision Study.
“Safety has become one of, if not, the top priority for Fowler," said Stephen Benson, Director of City Planning.
Benson said Fowler Avenue went from two lanes to four, with bike lanes added, too, but the area lacks a long-term plan.
"It's all drive-throughs and parking lots. I think we'd like to see that change drastically and maybe turn it into more of a center like downtown and west shore," Benson added.
“There’s an empty mall, a large empty space down the road and that’s been empty since I’ve been here. It’s getting emptier," Resident Sherrie Laaksonen said.
That could soon change. Benson said big changes like housing, walkable areas and rapid bus transit along the roadway are on the horizon.
“It's an eight-lane highway today, and we think that the future is probably going to be something different. Something that's a little bit more of a place and a neighborhood," Benson added.
If you want to help drive this project forward, there’s an open discussion on Tuesday at the University Mall.
