TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A small cross, flowers and painted well wishes mark the spot at the intersection of Bay to Bay Boulevard and Lois Avenue in South Tampa where two Plant High School students were killed on a motorcycle in Dec. 2021.
Other accidents and near misses at the intersection now have people in the neighborhood demanding change
“People have been writing us and saying, ‘hey is there anything we can do, our kids walk to school on this every day. It’s very dangerous,'” said Thomas Connelly who is the President of the Virginia Park Neighborhood Association.
Bay to Bay Boulevard comes under the control of Hillsborough County.
After the fatal crash last year, the county did a study of the intersection, but Connelly says they decided a full traffic light wasn’t needed.
“They said ‘hey, this doesn’t deserve a traffic light. There’s not enough accidents, not enough near misses’, and what really struck us is, only one of the fatalities is counted here,” said Connelly.
Instead, the county installed flashing lights and a crosswalk.
Drivers are required to stop when a pedestrian activates the flashing lights, but many times the drivers simply ignore the lights and speed through.
Another Plant High School student was hit as he tried to cross the intersection on his bike.
After activating the lights the student started to cross, security camera video shows three lanes of traffic stopped, but one car sped through the intersection and hit the student, sending him flying into the air.
Incredibly, Connelly says the student got up and finished biking to school but the neighborhood association has asked for a meeting with city and county officials to demand the traffic light.
“Over the years it’s been dangerous and it’s only gotten more so because our population has increased, the traffic on this road has increased,” said Connelly.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm Tuesday.
