Drivers can expect a smoother ride on New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows in just a few months, as Tampa is finally set to begin work on improving the primary east-west thoroughfare connecting all of the subdivisions in the community. Stretching 1.8 miles from Meadow Pine Dr. (just east of the Gateway Bridge connecting Tampa Palms and West Meadows; see map) to Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., the project will address concerns that locals have raised about the condition of the roadway.
Once construction has been completed, West Meadows residents can expect a number of upgrades along New Tampa Blvd. Planned improvements include fresh pavement, upgraded crosswalks, enhanced roadway signage and new ADA-compliant curb ramps designed to improve accessibility for pedestrians. The contracted cost of the project is about $2.5 million.
For many residents, the improvements cannot come soon enough, as drivers have complained about deteriorating pavement, potholes and general wear and tear that have made travel less comfortable and, at times, more hazardous.
The project represents a significant investment in one of the area’s most heavily traveled local roadways, shepherded by outgoing District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (who is running in Nov. to replace term-limited Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in District 67). Viera says that New Tampa Blvd. was one of the last few items he wanted to cross off his priorities list before leaving City Council.
“I only have a few things I still want to get done and this repaving project was one of them,” Viera says. “I have been hearing about this road for years from my constituents and this is a basic quality of life issue for New Tampa. Mobility is a huge issue for zip code 33647. We live with it every day.”
The saga of improving New Tampa Blvd. is a long one, as what seemed like a straightforward road project became a years-long advocacy effort paved with funding issues and administrative delays. There was once a belief that the road would have been repaved with funds raised following the passage of the 2018 All for Transportation ballot referendum for Hillsborough County. The measure, approved by voters, was intended to provide billions of dollars over several decades for transportation improvements throughout the county, including road resurfacing, transit projects and safety enhancements.
That opportunity disappeared when the courts, following legal challenges led by former Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White, scrapped the tax and deemed it unconstitutional. The county already had collected $570 million in escrow while the referendum played out in the courts. Following the ruling, the fate of that money was left up to the Florida Legislature, which ultimately only allocated about half of those funds for local projects to be selected by county officials. Unfortunately, the New Tampa Blvd. project was not among those selected. The remainder of the money went to a refund program for residents, a countywide sales tax holiday and attorneys’ fees.
While the city was able to later fully fund the project, Neighborhood News informed our readers in our Apr. 21 issue that the start of the project had been delayed until June or July of this year. At issue was a processing delay of the approved contract by the City Council, according to a memo sent by the city’s engineering department to Councilman Viera’s office. When the city announced in early June that the project would move forward, Viera said he was relieved it finally got across the finish line.
“When you represent ‘the Alaska of Tampa’ on City Council, you have to bang the desk a little harder to get projects done. I did that with this and I am glad it got done.”
New Tampa Blvd. is now another win for Viera to promoter as he heads out on the campaign trail, while West Meadows commuters can now spend more time listening to their favorite podcasts instead of avoiding potholes.