Benito parents, staff fret over Kinnan and Cross Creek intersection

Wendy Arroyo, parent of a 7th grader, and her mother Elsie were among those holding signs last week urging drivers to be more careful.

Nearly a dozen Benito Middle School parents and teacher lined the roads that run by their children’s school last week with bright yellow signs blaring simple messages:

Be Careful.

Slow Down.

Phones Down.

Drive Like Your Kids Live Here.

Teaming up with Vision Zero Hillsborough, the Benito parents hoped to shine a light on a growing problem in this congested section of New Tampa. About a month into the new school year, parents are saying the conditions in which their kids walk and bike to school are becoming more and more dangerous.

With the school situated on the south side of busy Cross Creek Blvd., the tail end of the morning commute is made more difficult by hundreds of students walking and biking — with many of them having to cross the busy street — to get to Benito.

While flashing lights are present along Cross Creek, notifying drivers that the speed limit is 20 miles per hour during the times students are walking to school, drivers leaving Kinnan St. and turning east or west onto Cross Creek don’t see those signs.

The intersection is congested with those heading to work and parents trying to get into the car line to drop their children off at school. Because there are cars entering the Benito parking lot from both directions on Cross Creek, the entrance can get backed up, leaving drivers trying to cross over from Kinnan St. to have to wait an extra light cycle, sometimes two.

That can lead to bad decisions by drivers who are in a hurry, while also creating backups in both directions along Cross Creek Blvd.

Ironically, about an hour before parents and Vision Zero Hillsborough showed up with their signs, as if to highlight the dangers of Kinnan and Cross Creek, an accident in the middle of the intersection backed up morning traffic and sent debris like broken glass flying into the crosswalk. Fortunately, it happened before schooltime pedestrian traffic.

Cars making a left turn onto Cross Creek Blvd. from Kinnan St. are sometimes failing to yield to kids crossing to school.

The most sometimes-heart-stopping concern, Benito principal John Sanders says, results from drivers leaving Kinnan Street and making a left onto Cross Creek heading east.

“Kids are in that crosswalk while cars are turning,” says Sanders. “The cars go right in front of them or right behind them — by feet and sometimes inches.”

The problem is that when the crosswalk light is green, giving the pedestrians the right of way to cross the street, drivers making a left onto Cross Creek also have the same green light. Legally, they have to yield to the pedestrians in the crosswalk, but it appears many drivers are acting as if they have a green arrow instead, and don’t notice or aren’t checking to make sure that there aren’t pedestrians in (or entering) the crosswalk.

“It’s not a safe crosswalk for students because of so much traffic coming from so many different directions, and people aren’t paying attention,” says Jenny Giraldo, whose daughter attends Benito. “Signage is lacking on so many levels, drivers aren’t really made aware. They need to be woken up.”
Sanders adds that he is hopeful that changes will be made.

On Friday, September 7(the day this issue hits mailboxes), a meeting is scheduled with representatives from the City of Tampa and the Hillsborough County School Board to discuss possible changes to lights and signs in the area.

“I think that the light situation needs to change,” says Benito Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) president Cindy Walton. “There needs to be no turn on red or the light for walking needs to be longer, while other lights aren’t green. It causes children to walk at the same time cars want to go, and cars don’t yield to pedestrians the way they should.”

To address the cars not yielding to pedestrians — or not being aware of the situation — the PTSA invited Vision Zero Hillsborough to hold the rally along Cross Creek Blvd. during the morning drop-off time on Aug. 31.

The Vision Zero Action Plan was developed by the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Committee, and has organized similar efforts at other dangerous areas in Tampa, most recently Seminole Heights.

“Vision Zero is an organization that is trying to eliminate traffic deaths,” Walton explains. “The event is to raise awareness that there are children, and drivers need to obey traffic laws, yield to pedestrians and slow down.”

While the school administrators and PTSA are working to educate parents and students at the school, Walton says Vision Zero was brought in to bring awareness to those drivers who are not part of the school.

“We knew we needed to reach out to the (entire) community, versus just our parents,” says Walton. “We need to have that awareness within our own community that students are walking along Cross Creek Blvd. and drivers need to watch out.”

Sanders agrees that the issue needs to be addressed in multiple ways.

“Part of it is educating the children who are walking to do everything in their power and control to keep themselves safe at that intersection,” he says. “Some of them are crossing in the crosswalk, assuming that they’re safe, and they’re not.”

To drivers — both those parents in the car line and those who are just trying to get to work through the mess of traffic, Sanders makes this plea: “Please exercise patience,” he says. “Especially from about 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., exercise extreme caution in the area. Please, if you’re turning left onto Cross Creek from Kinnan, be aware that green light happens while kids are in the crosswalk.”

No Major Incidents
Yet

According to the City of Tampa Police Department (TPD), since school started on Aug. 10, there has been just one minor accident between a student and a driver, which happened the morning of Aug. 16.

An eastbound vehicle turning right into Benito off of Cross Creek didn’t stop for a red light and struck a bicycle with the front bumper of the car. Fortunately, the student was able to attend school that day.

Eddy Durkin, a spokesperson for the TPD, says officers initiated 17 traffic stops —including 15 during school hours — at either the intersection of Cross Creek and Kinnan or directly in front of Benito that week.

“We are hopeful that the balance of education and enforcement being provided regarding vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety will assist drivers, riders and walkers in making good decisions,” he says.

Parents are concerned that the next accident might not be so minor.

Giraldo says she recently saw a terrifying incident at that intersection.

A student crossing Cross Creek Blvd. in the crosswalk with a green “walk” signal had no idea that a large pickup truck was making a left-hand turn from Kinnan onto Cross Creek. The vehicle didn’t yield to the student in the crosswalk, and the student didn’t see the truck, as it was coming from behind her.

Giraldo says she was sitting in her car at the intersection and that she saw a woman who happened to be in the intersection grab the child by her backpack and yank her out of the path of the oncoming truck.

“It happened in a split second,” she says, “and it’s horrifying to think what would have happened if that woman hadn’t been standing there.”

Walton and other parents are hopeful that drivers will change their bad habits to make getting to school safer for students.

“Walking is good for them, riding their bike is exercise, and it’s good for them to be outside,” says Walton. “If traffic was aware and slowed down, and if traffic yielded to them, it would absolutely be safe for them to ride to school.”

 

Aggressive Approach Yields Tourism Results

Pasco County has put its tourism department on steroids.

The county’s formerly sleepy, nature-centric manner of attracting visitors is giving way to a high-powered, aggressive approach that, if everything goes according to plan, will soon yield a new brand that is expected to focus on the county’s diverse offerings.

Executive director Adam Thomas of the Pasco County Visitor Bureau has commissioned Tallahassee-based public relations firm Zimmerman Agency, LLC, to help coordinate a brand relaunch at a cost of $481,000. In other words, the motto “Open spaces. Vibrant Places.” could be giving way to something that reaches a broader, more defined audience.

“We are building a platform that is going to springboard us into the future and will make us relevant in the Florida tourism market,” Thomas says.

Working with local leaders, the Zimmerman Agency is expected to unveil a draft plan by Aug. 31, and the new brand for Pasco tourism could launch in early October.

Thomas says his goal is to help develop a “life-cycle” of tourism, where visitors fall in love with the area they are visiting, and decide to relocate their families or businesses here, and feed the ongoing growth of Pasco County.

While the county already boasts a variety of festivals and outdoor activities, as well as a bustling western coastline attractive to those who like water sports like fishing, inland suburban areas like Wesley Chapel have evolved quickly to offer even more, like two thriving shopping malls.

Natalie Taylor of “Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend” talks with Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore, Gordie Zimmerman and Adam Thomas about Pasco County tourism.

If tourism in Pasco County felt somewhat staid in the past, it could have been for a lack of product that is now becoming more ample.

Wesley Chapel already is proving there is fruit on the sports tree, thanks to the overwhelming and immediate success of Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI).

Helped by a two-percent increase in the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) last year to help pay for a new sports complex (see below) in Wiregrass Ranch, FHCI deserves to receive at least some of the credit for the recent boost in tourism dollars filling county coffers.

The TDT has raised more than $200,000 every month through June this year, with a high of $355,279 in April. Last year, the most it raised in any month was $157,942.

Managing partner Gordie Zimmermann (no relation to the agency) says FHCI is booked almost every weekend with hockey tournaments and other events, a majority of them requiring at least a two-night stay.

There is a rush to build more hotels (the Hyatt Place just opened and three more are on the way along S.R. 56), so visitors have a place to stay, and FHCI is more than able to fill them. “We didn’t have as many places to stay in Pasco County in the past,” says District 2 Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore. “Now, the visitors that may have come to Pasco for a day trip or to visit family can stay. We now have (hotels).”

Moore also said that in the past, the county has lost out on events, due to a lack of facilities, like FHCI, hotels and even enough shopping options and restaurants.

“Now, we can handle all of those visitors,” says Moore, who lives in Wesley Chapel.

Our area should be prepared to handle even more in 2019 and, as a result, more hotels and restaurants are on the way.

“I don’t know if they have ever seen anything like this in the history of the county, and we’re really just ramping up,” Zimmermann says. “We have a lot of different events coming in 2019 that we didn’t even have in 2018. It’s something every week.”

Even the “American Idol” auditions held last week (and one year ago) produced overnight stays. However, it has been the various ice sports, from youth and adult hockey to figure skating events, driving Wesley Chapel’s increased impact on county-wide tourism.

FHCI recently hosted a roller hockey tournament featuring 200 teams over the course of 10 days. Any number of events the facility has already hosted are the largest Pasco County has ever seen, Zimmermann says.

“I’m not surprised by the increase in tourism right now,” says Hope Allen, the CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. “We can definitely  tip our hat to Gordie for the majority of that.”

Next year, the new RADDSports-developed Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex will enter the tourism market and, like FHCI, is likely to make a huge impact of its own.

Thomas also hopes to shine a spotlight on some of Pasco County’s other treasures, including those that speak to the county’s reputation for open spaces, even if those seem to shrinking.

He said “influencers” in the travel industry will be enlisted to spread the word, even travel bloggers, many of whom have large audiences.

On a recent travel post, a blogger wrote of a trip she took, sponsored by VisitPasco, to the county. She wrote (and posted videos) about staying at the Hilton Garden Inn near the Suncoast Pkwy., where to rent a car or a bike, cycling through Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, enjoying a balloon ride in Land O’Lakes, ziplining at TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park in Dade City and enjoying great food at Capital Tacos and Noble Crust in Wesley Chapel.

“Those are the people that can persuade someone’s travel plans,” Thomas says. “It’s all about finding different ways and different strategies.”

Business News: New Name For Florida Hospital, New Developments

A potential new development, to be anchored by a pharmacy, could be headed for the corner of S.R. 54 and Curley Rd.

While development proceeds in the busy S.R. 56 corridor, from Culver’s going up east of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to Blaze Pizza and others breaking ground to the west in the hectic Cypress Creek Town Center area, representatives from Stella Management Group met with Pasco County planning officials about a new proposed retail center on the northeast corner of Curley Rd. and S.R. 54 (see photo).

According to paperwork field with the county prior to a pre-application meeting on Aug. 6, the project is named Pasco C-Center, with approximately 32,500 square feet of leasable commercial/retail space.

The Pasco C-Center, according to a conceptual plan, will have a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru, a 14,698-sq.-ft. pharmacy with 49 parking spaces, a 4,000-sq.-ft. retail building divided for three businesses, and a 5,500-sq.-ft. retail building divided for four occupants, none of which had been announced at our press time.

Another 4,000-sq.-ft. building is labeled for retail/restaurant.

The conceptual plan also proposes two entrances/exits into the Pasco C-Center, one off S.R. 54 and the other off Curley Rd.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), we hardly knew ye.

Adventist Health Systems, the faith-based health care system that is the parent company of all of the Florida Hospitals, has announced that it is changing its corporate name to AdventHealth.

As a result, all of the Florida Hospitals, including FHWC, will get the name change, too, as well as a new logo (above).

On Jan. 2, 2019, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will become AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

“We are transforming to be a more consumer-focused health care system to better meet the needs of those we care for and the communities we serve,” says Terry Shaw, president/CEO for Adventist Health System. “Becoming AdventHealth allows us to be a fully integrated and distinguishable health system across all aspects of the care continuum, while also speaking to our Christian healing ministry, message of wholeness and our rich Seventh-Day Adventist roots.”

The Altamonte Springs-based Adventist Health Systems, which has nearly 50 campuses across the state — including seven in the Tampa Bay area — will kick off a transition campaign in September featuring TV and print ads in various markets across the country.

Changes to signage and visual elements at hospitals and other facilities are expected to take place in January, when the AdventHealth name is fully adopted.

NAILING IT: In the new Pleasant Plaza on the south side of S.R. 54, east of BBD, Starbucks and Pizza Hut are up and running, and according to Pasco County permitting records, a Sweet Nail Spa will be next.

And, right across the street on the north side of S.R. 54, Heartland Dental is nearing completion.

 

A First-Hand Account Of A Ride On New 275LX!

As we reported in a previous issue, although it is based in Hillsborough County, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) has a brand-new bus route that picks up near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel in Wiregrass Ranch and transports riders all the way through New Tampa to both downtown Tampa and Tampa International Airport (TIA). The new route is a welcome addition to the area. Prior to the introduction of Route 275LX, Wesley Chapel residents have lacked in public transit that could take them into Tampa but HART is set on fixing that with the new limited-stop service from the Wiregrass Park-’n-Ride lot all the way to TIA.

Neighborhood News and WCNT-tv production assistant Giuliano Ferrara recently rode the bus from Wiregrass to TIA. Below is his first-hand account of that ride.

“For $2 you can ride from New Tampa to the airport, that’s the best deal out there.” said Pedro, my driver for this trip and a public transit driver for more than 30 years.

“The service has changed a lot [in those 30 years],” he adds. With the addition of working air conditioning and heating, power steering, and most important, a nice comfy driver’s seat, Pedro told me that the HART buses have come a long way and that Route 275LX is the first taste of a truly comfortable local public transit experience for Wesley Chapel residents.

My first impressions of the bus were overwhelmingly positive. I noticed first and foremost that the HART bus is, without a doubt, the cleanest bus I have ever ridden.

The bus I boarded was one of the nearly 200 that make up the HART fleet and, if they’re all as clean and comfortable as this one, those who rely on public transit in the area, and even those riding a bus for the very first time, should expect to be satisfied with the service. While the seats still left something to be desired in terms of cushioning, the powerful air conditioning should be able to compensate for any lost comfort during your ride.

I arrived at the Wiregrass Park-’n-Ride lot at 12 p.m, fifteen minutes prior to the departure time, to find that my bus was already there and ready to go. At almost exactly 12:15, the bus left the station and my ride to TIA had begun.

As the bus made its way down Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., which is the road that makes up more than half of Route 275LX (in terms of scheduled stops), I was skeptical as to how smooth the bus ride would be when traversing the obstacle course of construction that is BBD. By the time we had reached our first stop, which was to pick up one passenger waiting at the HART stop just before the corner of Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. and BBD in New Tampa, I hadn’t felt a single bump in the road or pothole (of which there are plenty) while traveling the route. In fact I was surprised with the ease and speed at which the bus had reached the stop.

As a daily commuter living in Wesley Chapel, I was happy to be able to relax, sit back and trust that the bus would get me down the road safely, giving me time to stare out the window, which is a rarity for those of us in the area who have to deal with BBD traffic on a daily basis.

It was clear that there are still those out there who would prefer not to be at the mercy of a bus schedule, as there were only three passengers, including me, who got on at the Wiregrass Park-’n-Ride and the bus only stopped to pick up three people at the nine scheduled stops in New Tampa. Although HART provides a punctual and efficient service, most of us would still rather take matters into our own hands, even if that means giving up the ability to relax and not have to stress about traffic.

What HART has already done very well, however, is that they’ve made Route 275LX the best deal in town. The fact that $2 can now get you a one-way ticket to TIA from the Wiregrass Park-’n-Ride is astounding. The gas you would burn on the drive would cost far more than the $2 it will take to ride the bus all the way there. If you’re planning on picking someone up from the airport, or just want to go somewhere downtown and come back to Wiregrass, your round-trip will come to a grand total of $4.

For only $2, it took our reporter 1:35 to reach his final destination — TIA — on Route 275LX.

“Two dollars from Wesley Chapel to the airport is an incredible deal,” Pedro reiterated. “An Uber or taxi would cost you $30 to $40, at least.” So, when it comes to value, Route 275LX is definitely the best bang for your buck.

There are some downsides to this otherwise tremendous service, however, the first and foremost being that HART has no facilities to accommodate overnight parking anywhere along Route 275LX. This seemed to be the most pressing concern among those who attended the most recent Economic Development Briefing on July 26th, where HART representatives discussed the new route with the members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

As it stands, you will still need to get a ride to the bus stop if you plan to take the new route to the airport. The Park-’n-Ride locations take no responsibility when it comes to overnight parking and HART has urged those who wish to utilize this service to not leave their car in these locations overnight. This means that if you have a trip out of town and want to ride the bus to the airport, you will need to sort out some plans for getting back home and may have to rely on someone with a car, regardless of the fact you’re attempting to use public transportation.

Of course, not everyone is going to the airport. I spoke with one passenger who was on her way to the International Mall. Tonya Gonzalez told me she is an infrequent user of HART’s services. She said that the bus was, “a nice way to get to the mall from downtown,” and that, “the $4 round-trip price tag was worth it for a ride.” She also explained that the gas it would take for her to drive from her stop at USF Pine Dr. and BBD in North Tampa to the International Plaza/Westshore Blvd. stop would cost quite a bit more than hopping on a HART bus and would also put wear on her personal vehicle, so the bus is “a convenient alternative.”

At noon on a Wednesday, there were only a handful of passengers who took Route 275LX. Out of the 28 total scheduled stops, we only gathered a total of 10 people, including yours truly, over the course of my trip. This granted me an enjoyably empty bus ride but it could vary depending on the chosen day you wish to ride, as well as what time you do so. A HART representative I spoke with told me that weekdays during rush hour traffic and early in the morning are the busiest times for the route. My bus left on time, rode for exactly 1 hour and 35 minutes, and arrived at the airport right on schedule. While my experience was ideal, I can’t promise that this will always be the case, especially on weekdays during morning rush hour, but it worked out perfectly for me.

As I see it, there are many reasons to take advantage of this new service. I believe that Route 275LX could become a more utilized alternative to driving and could even help alleviate some of the traffic woes that are so prevalent in the area, especially along BBD.

Route 275LX is a step in the right direction and I hope it becomes more widely used. If you have the time, take the bus. It will save you gas and eliminate the unnecessary stress of driving through Tampa.
HART’s Route 275LX leaves the Wiregrass Park-’n-Ride every hour between 6:15 a.m. and 10 p.m. every day.

‘I Only Vote In The Important Elections’ — Too Many Locals

I have never been the most political (or politically correct) guy in the world, but I have watched and covered so many elections — local, state and national — over the nearly 25 years I have been the owner and editor of this publication that I can’t help but notice that more often than not, more people than not do not vote in local elections.

And, the #1 reason I hear from New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents for not voting is always the same: “I only vote in the important elections, like for our President.”

Well, I’m here to tell you that if you’re a) not already registered to vote or b) don’t plan to vote in the upcoming Primary Election on Tuesday, August 28, or the General “Midterm” Election on Tuesday, November 6, you’re selling yourself — and your community — short.

In August, three of Pasco’s five School Board seats (in other words, 60 percent!) are up for grabs and, unless there is a Runoff Election in any of those three districts (all Pasco School Board and County Commission seats are elected countywide), this will be your only chance to have a say in who will be responsible for building and staffing schools and protecting your public school children.

That fact alone should at least get you thinking about getting out to the polls on Aug. 28, although it is past the deadline to do so if you’re not already registered to vote as you’re reading this. In addition, with so many parents concerned about the future plans (in 2020) to again re-zone the schools in Wesley Chapel, getting out to vote for the candidates you believe will be the most likely to help keep your children where you want them perhaps should be important enough to get you to cast a ballot this year.

Two of those candidates — three-term incumbent Allen Altman in District 1 and Heide Janshon, one of two candidates attempting to unseat two-time District 3 incumbent Cynthia Armstrong — have taken ads (both on page 5) in this issue, in order to try to help convince you to get out and cast a ballot for them.

There also are six local judges and several local Community Development District (CDD) Board candidates who will be elected on Aug. 28, and there will be primaries for U.S. Senate, Florida’s next Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture, as well as the State Senate.

If you decide not (or you’re not already registered) to vote on Aug. 28, you have until Tuesday, October 9, to get yourself registered for the General Election on Nov. 6.

At that time, in addition to voting for U.S. and State Senate, as well as Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture, you’ll also get to vote for two County Commission seats and our area’s Dist. 38 State Representative.

One of those November contests will have Pasco County Dist. 2 Commissioner Mike Moore squaring off against fellow Wesley Chapel resident Kelly Smith. I just wanted to make it clear that the fact that we have a story about Smith, a political newcomer, in our latest issues isn’t an endorsement for her or in any way an indictment of the job that Moore has done since being elected in 2014. We just felt it was newsworthy for our readers that Mike will face an opponent who also lives in Wesley Chapel.

As For Endorsements…

The first 10 or 15 years that I owned this publication, I felt it was my job to go to as many governmental meetings as possible in order to cover those meetings for our readers and to get to know as many of our local, state and some national (such as District 12 U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis) elected officials as I possibly could. One of the reasons I did so was so I could make intelligent endorsements, based on my knowledge of our area’s infrastructure and other needs.

I began phasing out making endorsements about 10 years ago, in part because I have had other people covering most governmental meetings. I never really had any problem with the often negative feedback I would receive when I would endorse one candidate over another, but I will say that I have gotten a lot less hate mail since then. At any rate, get out and vote, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel!