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The purpose of the Transportation Information Service newsletter
is to inform, update, and educate members of the New North
Transportation Alliance and the public on local mobility issues,
projects and developments.
In This Issue:
Walkable Communities Workshop
On Monday, April 4 a group of approximately thirty-five community leaders
and residents could be found strolling the
 University
Area around 22nd Main Street, attracting much attention from onlookers. The
group was conducting a “walkability audit” of the area as part of a Walkable
Communities Workshop. 
The workshop, held at
the University Area Community Center brought together people interested in
learning about improvements, small and large, that can make a big difference
in making a community more walkable for all of its residents. Two transit
and community design professionals, Bill Jack
and Charlie Gandy from the National Center for Biking and Walking, guided
the discussion.
The workshop began with a slide show that illustrated walkability and
accessibility issues in communities across the nation. Pictures of broken
sidewalks, dangerous paths and impossible crosswalks were projected. Many of
the images could have been taken right out of the University Area
Broken sidewalk at a bus stop on 22nd
Main St.
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neighborhood. Just as the situations depicted began to look hopeless, the
presenters turned to before-and-after photos. High traffic residential
streets were calmed with curb bulbs and speed bumps. Expansive crosswalks
were improved with countdown timers and pedestrian islands. Lights and
shrubbery made the roadways both more functional and aesthetic. Sloppy side
roads became picturesque pedestrian pathways.
 The
group realized that small details and even minor improvements – from
landscaping to curb size to paint markings - made a huge difference in
increasing the comfort level of pedestrians.
After seeing the upshot of the workshops in other parts of the country, the
workshop attendees were inspired and ready to embark of a small journey – a
walk around the block – to see
Presenter Charlie Gandy illustrating
the importance of wide sidewalks and traffic speeding controls for
routes children use to get to school.
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what could be
improved in the University Area.
The day was warm and sunny, causing participants to quickly notice how a
lack of shade trees make walking uncomfortable. As the group rounded the
block, Bill and Charlie pointed out many other things some of their
followers may have missed otherwise, such as unsightly dividing wall, poor
lighting, incomplete sidewalks, lack of sidewalks, no curbs, dangerous
ditches, and narrow sidewalks. They discussed some quick and inexpensive
fixes for some of these issues, such as recruiting students to paint a mural
on the unsightly wall, using paint to better define stop lines for
motorists, crosswalks for pedestrians, and bike lanes for cyclists, and
regularly clearing bike and pedestrian paths of debris.
Along the way, a residential family inquired about what the group was doing
and were subsequently invited to join in. This family’s input highlighted
the importance of a community member’s voice. For instance, the family
explained between 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. everyday the traffic is very heavy and
speeds along 143rd Street at the same time students are using the street to
walk home from school. This hazardous situation would have gone unnoticed
since the walkability audit took place before that time frame.
 After
forty-five minutes outside, the group reconvened at the University Community
Center and divided up into teams, each with an aerial map of the route they
just walked. The groups highlighted areas of concern on the maps and listed
specific improvements they would like to see. These ideas
were then presented to the entire workshop.
The
groups all seemed to a
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Group
of professionals and citizens editing a map of University Area for
improvements. |
 gree
that there is a definite need for safety and accessibility related
improvements. Suggestions such as additional crosswalks, sidewalks, bike
racks at bus stops, and speed bumps were common.
The biggest question of the day was how the improvements would get
implemented and who would fund them. The group discovered that the
improvement process for many of the suggestions does not start with an
identified source of money. Instead, a citizen’s request to the County to
evaluate a road or community in terms of safety and traffic calming
improvements is needed to jumpstart the process. Residents can view
information about how to make street lighting, traffic calming, and school
safety related requests at
http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/publicworks/traffic/programs/
or by calling Hillsborough County’s Neighborhood Services Program (813)
272-5912.
The biggest lesson taken from this: Community Involvement Is Mandatory. If
no one says they want it, it is less likely that the neighborhood will see
any changes. At the end of the day, the group disbanded with many ideas and
one resident family now educated about how they can initiate the improvement
process. This was only one of eight Walkable Communities Workshops held in
the Tampa area during the week of April 4th.
Watch Where You're Going!
You might not watch
where you are going but they certainly are.
Just who are they?
Traffic control specialists for Tampa Bay. In response to New Tampa’s
rapid growth in traffic congestion, the city of Tampa has found it necessary
to install a second camera to help monitor traffic. This new $35,000
addition can be found on top of an eighty-foot pole at the intersection of
Bruce B. Downs and Cross Creek Boulevards. The purpose of the camera is to
allow the traffic engineering office to alter traffic signals to ease the
rush hour congestion. The first camera in New Tampa was installed in July
2003 and focused in on
 Bruce
B. Downs and I-75. In total, Tampa has twenty-one cameras,
including this recent addition,
all manned on the Tampa City Hall ground floor. The
new camera should be operational in April, and will take in a view of Bruce
B. Downs Boulevard from Hunter’s Green drive to Wharton High School.
Reminders!
Continue Receiving This Newsletter!
NNTA is required to ask
you if you still want to hear from us via this
newsletter! To continue receiving your community TIS Update, go to
www.newnorthalliance.org/mailing.htm or you can fill out the form
inserted in THIS edition of the TIS Newsletter!
***Failure to Respond
Results in Removal from Mailing List***
Bike Racks for Businesses!
Claim a FREE Bike
Rack! Don’t miss your chance to build your image and business by
helping out the cycling community. Call Melissa at (813) 974-0956 to get a
free* bike rack.
*Businesses required to
install racks
Want to save money & make
better use of your time by carpooling or vanpooling-
but don't know anyone to share the commute with?
We may be able to help! Join the regional rideshare
database by following the link on the Commuter page of our website,
www.newnorthalliance.org,
or by calling 813-974-9799 to speak with a New North Transportation
Alliance representative.
Vanpool from Riverview to USF
Area looking for more riders.
The newest vanpool to the New North area has room for two
more riders. The vanpool travels from Riverview to the Moffitt Cancer
Center and VA Hospital. Work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you
are interested in joining this vanpool, call Bay Area Commuter Services at
1-800-998-RIDE.
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