HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Tuesday morning, Tampa city officials announced plans for a $2 billion, 30-year mobility plan known as MOVES.
Tampa is a dangerous place to drive, ride bikes, and walk, and city leaders say the changes they hope to make over the next 30 years will help change that.
Some of those changes are already being made.
Those projects are called quick builds, one in West Tampa on Main Street.
It's a segment of road officials say has had 71 crashes in the last five years.
The city added speed bumps and markings to show that those lanes are for cars and bikes to share.
The city is installing those on priority bike routes.
The overall MOVES plan involves designing streets to cut commute times.
I am adding and fixing sidewalks and creating more bike lanes.
City leaders say the goal is to create a safer environment and connect Tampa’s neighborhoods.
“We are going to repave roads. We are going to create sidewalks. We are going to create safer cross-sections for people to cross our streets. And that’s to me one of the most important things for the folks that actually live in the city of Tampa,” said City Council Member Alan Clendenin.
“It is worth every penny if we can achieve these transportation solutions. Most importantly, making sure our community is safe on our roadways and also that we are connecting people to places that they need to be,” said Mayor Jane Castor.
Research by the city found that access to jobs is a weak spot in Tampa.
And for some, even access to food is a challenge.
They will try and improve both areas as part of the MOVES plan.
