2 Brandon Schools Slated For Pedestrian Safety Improvement

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — The pedestrian and bicycle routes that students use to get from their residential neighborhoods to Limona Elementary School and Brandon High School are being studied by engineers to create safer routes to the schools, a Hillsborough County news release said.

The Hillsborough County School Route Safety Improvement Program aims to address gaps in the pedestrian and bicycle networks that students use to get to schools and enhance safety by improving the engineering and design of the routes students take. The County ranked more than 130 schools in this program and is systematically going down the list to study and improve routes to those schools.

The program uses a data-driven approach where the schools with the greatest need are prioritized based on crashes, pedestrian safety risks, and socioeconomic factors. The program is driven by collaboration between the County, the state, school administrators, and the community to identify and address student pedestrian needs.

Brandon High School and Limona Elementary School were grouped and studied together because of their overlap in attendance boundaries and shared student walking routes.
Proposed pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements for Brandon High School and Limona Elementary School routes include:

• High-visibility crosswalks
• New sidewalks
• Wayfinding
• Streetlights
• Raised crosswalks
• Sidewalk maintenance
• Improved pedestrian signal timing at traffic signals
• Pedestrian signage and pavement markings
• Intersection improvements to manage speeds of drivers turning across crosswalks
• Clearing vegetation along walking paths
• Bicycle facilities

Hillsborough County engineers have analyzed the walking routes students use to travel to these schools, engaged advisory committees, and identified opportunities to improve student pedestrian safety with engineering improvements. Now the County is sharing these proposed improvements with parents and community members and seeking feedback through a virtual engagement site.

Public Engagement Opportunity
The County will conduct a virtual engagement using The Hillsborough Engagement Hub to collect feedback from the public. Public comment for this project is open until April 10. Visit HCFLGov.net/HCEngage to participate.

Questions in English or Spanish about the virtual public engagement for this project may be directed to the Customer Service Center at (813) 635-5400.