Tampa Republic

The Tampa Police Department has joined a statewide safety campaign to keep pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists safe. This traffic safety initiative is part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow” campaign. Through a contract awarded by FDOT and the Institute for Police Technology and Management (IPTM), the Tampa Police Department will increase police presence in areas with a history of serious injury and fatal crashes.

"We are committed to making our shared roadways safer," said Chief Lee Bercaw. "This campaign is primarily focused on education and bringing citizens into compliance with traffic laws while working to make our city streets safer, together."

The goal of the safety campaign is to reduce the number of serious injury and fatal traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists on roadways in the City of Tampa. Working in partnership with the IPTM and The University of North Florida (UNF), extra patrols will be conducted on Tampa’s roadways specifically to educate citizens about Florida traffic laws concerning the movement of pedestrians and bicyclists.

During this safety initiative, which runs through May 2024, officers will interact with roadway users by observing violations and conducting direct educational outreach to violators to improve awareness of traffic laws. These efforts will specifically target violations involving pedestrian and bicycle safety as well as focus on vehicle driver’s responsibility for the safe movement of pedestrians and bicyclists along area roadways.

In support of this program, Education and High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) efforts will be conducted throughout the city, including the following roadways:

• West Hillsborough Avenue
• East Busch Boulevard
• North Nebraska Avenue
• East Fowler Avenue
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
• West Kennedy Boulevard
• North Florida Avenue
• North and South Dale Mabry Highway

This program is a partnership designed to promote overall traffic safety on the roadways and reduce the number of citizens seriously injured or killed in traffic crashes within the City of Tampa. The initiative will also support the City of Tampa Vision Zero Action Plan goal of eliminating all roadway deaths and life-altering injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.

Original source can be found here.