The Traffic Studies and Safety Section is a small dedicated team of traffic engineering and safety practitioners responsible for performing engineering investigations and traffic studies on the City of Tampa roadway network. The majority of work relates to promoting traffic operation safety and efficiency along the vast City of Tampa transportation network by providing for the orderly movement of all road users. These investigations and studies include, but are not limited to: field observations; data collection relating to existing traffic control devices; traffic speed and volume data collection; intersection sight obstructions; right of way encroachments; roadway departures crashes at curves, turns or road termini; crash history research; crash report reviews; intersection crash pattern reviews; crash analysis; and, pedestrian and school safety.
Once the pertinent data has been collected, assembled, reviewed for quality and analyzed, this information can be used to propose countermeasures to alleviate traffic crash patterns at a specific location or along a roadway corridor. This same information is used to develop traffic control plans that outline the placement of Traffic Control Devices in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Roadway Design Standards and other industry publication and manuals from the Federal Highway Administration or from the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
The countermeasure recommendations or traffic control plans may be as simple as the relocation of an existing parking restriction sign approaching a stop condition, or as expansive as the installation of new reduced speed school zones on several sides of a school which could include solar powered flashers with time clocks, numerous signs and pavement markings.
Traffic Studies and Safety Section important terms and services:
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES – traffic control devices shall be defined as all signs, signals, markings, and other devices used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic, placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, highway, pedestrian facility, bikeway, or private road open to public travel.
MUTCD – the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices [MUTCD] shall be recognized as the national standard for all traffic control devices installed on any street, highway, bikeway, or private road open to public
SAFETY – primary focus is on intersections, pedestrians and bicycle safety, roadside safety, roadway departure safety and speed management.
SCHOOLS – primary focus to establish school zones and school crossings on City of Tampa roads that surround schools, public or private. A decision to establish school zones and school crossings is based on the MUTCD, FDOT Policy 750-010-27 (
750-010-027.pdf and FDOT Roadway Standard Plans.
TRAFFIC STUDIES – Section 1A.09 of MUTCD recommends that a decision to use a particular traffic control device at a particular location should be made on the basis of either an engineering study or the application of engineering judgment. Traffic studies may include vehicle volume or movement studies, gap studies, pedestrian and bicycle volume or movement, advisory speed studies and vehicle spot speed studies.
RIGHT OF WAY ENCROACHMENTS REVIEWS – relates to an internal review process for encroachments of signs, awnings or architectural features projecting into the public right-of-way that may be authorized administratively through the commercial site plan review process.
TRAFFIC SIGHT OBSTRUCTIONS – relates to an unobstructed view of the upcoming roadway which is necessary to allow time and space for the safe execution of passing, stopping, intersection movements, and other normal and emergency maneuvers. It is important to provide as great a sight distance as possible to allow the driver time to plan for future actions.
Contact the Transportation Division at (813) 274-8333, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. to request the following:
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An engineering investigation and evaluation to address a potential traffic operations or safety problem related to speeding, on-street parking, cut-through traffic, signal operation, accidents, school area safety, pedestrian safety, or truck traffic;
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The presence of a sight obstruction at an intersection or driveway, or an obstructed traffic sign or signal;
The City encourages citizens to contact their neighborhood associations concerning any traffic related issues. Neighborhood associations will usually prioritize their requests so that the City can devote its resources to the most critical areas first.