New Safety Features Near Schools as Students Return to Class

Hillsborough County has improved traffic circulation for some schools while adding crosswalks and pedestrian features near others. These improvements enhance safety for students walking and biking to school.

Near Stowers Elementary and Barrington Middle School in Fish Hawk, sidewalk gaps along Boyette Road will be completed to provide neighborhoods with a safer option for pedestrians and bicyclists.

There are new and longer turn lanes on Summerfield Boulevard and Panther Trace Boulevard surrounding Collins Elementary School in Riverview. The changes were driven by growth in the nearby neighborhoods and an increased need for traffic mobility improvements during school drop-off and pick-up. In addition to the turn lane improvements, additional safety enhancements include wider sidewalks, new crosswalks, and the installation of pedestrian-activated rapid flashing beacons.

The County responded to resident feedback by installing new vertical delineators to prevent dangerous turns near Lake Magdalene Elementary and Strawberry Crest High School. 

County staff also made visual improvements across the county near schools, such as repainting markings and cutting back foliage to make the signs more visible.