Design options could include pedestrian bridge over Big Bend Road
Hillsborough County, Fla. (Aug. 11, 2025) - Three public schools along the Big Bend Corridor west of Interstate 75 will be studied in the coming year to identify walking and bicycling safety improvements along school walking routes that will provide safety and comfort for both students and residents in the community.
The studies are for East Bay High School, Eisenhower Middle School and Corr Elementary School.
Residents can review plans and share feedback on the Hillsborough County Engagement Hub through Aug. 22.
Students residing less than two miles from school are ineligible for bus service, making it essential that walking and biking remain accessible options for all.
The goal of the Hillsborough County School Route Safety Improvement Program is to create safer, more welcoming routes to encourage more students to walking and bicycleing to school. Each year, engineers study the walking routes students use to get to school to identify safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. These include such as engineering treatments to slow driver speeds, reduced posted speed limits, improved signal operations to support drivers yielding to students crossing at intersections, new and wider sidewalks, high- visibility crosswalks with flashing beacons to get drivers to stop at student crossings, and separation between bicyclists and drivers on the road.
These proposed improvements are shared with School Project Advisory Committees made up of school principals, PTA members, and other stakeholders to gather their feedback and support. The County is now conducting the virtual engagement to share proposed pedestrian and bicycling improvements with parents and the community and obtain feedback, learn about community safety priorities, and incorporate it into the project where feasible.
Safety improvements currently being considered for East Bay High School, Eisenhower Middle School and Corr Elementary School routes include:
- New high-visibility crosswalks and pedestrian signage
- Design treatments to encourage slower turns
- New sidewalk ramps
- Extend school zones and adjust flashing beacons
- Study feasibility of new shared-use path along Old Big Bend Road east of I-75
- Study feasibility of pedestrian bridge across Big Bend Road west of Covington Garden Drive as part of the Southcoast Greenway Trail improvement
Virtual Public Engagement Opportunity
The County is conducting a virtual engagement using the Hillsborough Engagement & Education Hub to collect feedback from the public on School Route Safety Improvement Program. The virtual engagement for this project is open through Aug. 22, 2025. Visit HCFL.Gov/HCEngage to participate.
For general information, email Hillsborough County Public Works at PWCustomerResolution@HCFL.gov or call (813) 635-5400.