Identified as one of the most dangerous streets in Tampa for drivers and pedestrians, a portion of W Cleveland Street will be undergoing a series of safety improvements and roadway enhancements.
Sunday night, May 19, construction crews began working along W Cleveland Street, just west of the railroad tracks that intersect at Willow Avenue to Parker Street. Tampa's ambitious Vision Zero Action Plan identified Cleveland Street as part of the High Injury Network (HIN), a designation for roads where the most deadly and serious injury crashes occur. After rigorous study, Tampa's traffic engineers found Cleveland Street is under capacity and can operate efficiently with just two lanes. From 2021 to May 2024, a total of 80 crashes were recorded along Cleveland Street. Forty percent of the crashes resulted in injuries.
The Cleveland Street Quick Build safety improvements include:
- Converting one of the three existing travel lanes into a protected bicycle lane with approximately 80 new on-street parking spaces. The bicycle lane, just under a mile long, will eventually connect with the future West River BUILD project, expanding Tampa's Green Spine.
- The creation of Tampa's first protected intersection. Located at Cleveland and S. Hyde Park Avenue, the design keeps bicyclists separate from cars, providing them with a dedicated path through the intersection and the right-of-way with turning vehicles.
Drivers exiting the Selmon Expressway at the Willow Avenue exit ramp will have much better visibility and safer access while merging onto Cleveland Street with oncoming vehicles.
"In 2019, Tampa joined the national Vision Zero mission to do all we could to prevent crashes and save lives," said Mayor Jane Castor. "The Cleveland Street Quick Build is just one of several projects our Mobility Department has undertaken in recent years as part of this commitment. Despite limited transportation funding, we must continue to tackle challenges creatively and relentlessly to turn Tampa's roads from one of the most dangerous in the country, to the safest."
This Quick Build will cost approximately $350,000 and is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks. Drivers can expect nightly lane closures from 7:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M.