Eagle Eyes (Forest Hills Grid 18)

O.K., folks ------ we have some serious traffic safety issues going on around the neighborhood, but for some reason there doesn't seem to be any interest in making us safer. We need as many residents as we can to help contact the city for help in regulating traffic. We also need come comments to this discussion, to facilitate some ideas as to what to do about it. So -- PLEASE JOIN IN!!

I have written before about the need for a flashing light on Linebaugh in conjunction with the pedestrian crosswalk. Some child is liable to be seriously injured or worse if something isn't done about this stretch of street. The fact that is hasn't happend yet is just short of a miracle. Every day several cars run that red light, because the light isn't visable with the morning sun in the drivers' eyes. Often drivers stop for the light just long enough for the kids to cross only one lane, then the driver runs the red light, taking off from a dead stop. We should be up in arms about these issues.

The traffic on Ola, both in front of and going into Forest Hills Elementary, also is not safe for child or adult pedestrians. Drivers speed and are careless. A few years back, a county sheriff used to wait at the entrance to School Street on his way to work at dismissal time, in order to keep watch over his 2 daughters who were safety patrols -- the cars entering the drive had multiple near misses. Even with him standing there in uniform, drivers were very careless. TPD put a cruiser out there last year and did not find a speeding problem -- but then the cruiser was probably a deterrant (as opposed to a deputy on foot).

Are there still issues with cars and school buses speeding down Ola? And cars speeding up & down Dartmouth? I hear the speeders on Tampa Street north of Linebaugh -- in Grid 10 (Linebaugh Estates) -- are really out of hand, and I also hear that those residents are working on a plan to call it to a halt. They're also working on cleaning up Tampa Street with regard to the litter and dumping along the shoulder of the road, behind those businesses. A neat, clean neighbprhood is a deterrant to crime.

Anybody have any ideas about how to make us a safer place to live??? We're looking forward to hearing - or reading - your ideas, here or in person. Please --- let's work together.

Hi,

I agree that traffic issues are of an enormous concern here in our neighborhood. I've contacted the traffic calming dept through the city of tampa website once a year for the last 9 years and have requested a speeding study. They always detemrine we have an issue, however I guess it'll take someone getting killed before something gets done. It appears they'd rather be reactive rather than proactive. We all need to band together and participate in whatever we can do make our neighborhoods and streets safer!

Just an update, I met w/an officer last week who's going to be patrolling Ola during morning drop off time  and afternoon pick up times. He's also going to be ticketing parents and employees of the school who continue to park along Ola. Heads up to those of you who leave your car running unattended w/your kids in it while you go into the school to pick up your other kids, you're looking at a ticket and possibly a whole lot more!

GOOD!!!! I for one am glad that finally the traffic infractions were witnessed by TPD, so that something can be done. I understand everyone is on a time schedule, but taking 5 minutes to ensure other people's safety is not too much to ask. Drivers, PLEASE WATCH YOUR SPEED IN SCHOOL ZONES AND SCHOOL CROSSING AREAS!! Thank you for your input on this matter.