Temple Crest Civic Association

40th Street Corridor Project UPDATE

Report on our June 11th Meeting

June 11th at 7 PM, the Pepin Academy at 40th and Hillsborough hosted the three civic groups involved with the 40th Street Project. Over 100 people attended, which surprised even the organizers. Also in attendance were city councilpersons Shawn Harrisons and Gwen Miller, Jim Burnside and Eldon Smith representing the city of Tampa transportation department and representatives from Post Buckley, the road design firm.
At the meeting we were assured that the 40th Street project is indeed on track, however the first segment of the road that will be built is the portion from Busch Boulevard North to Fowler Avenue. We as a neighborhood association are disappointed that the promises to begin a simultaneous construction on the portions south of Busch, which we considered a sign of good faith from the city, are not taking place this year. In fact, most right-of-way acquisition has not even begun (only 20 parcels to date, all volunteers.)
The dangers that 40th Street poses are many. We have lost several lives to the many curves, dangerous bridge and lack of drainage (standing water has caused accidents too!). In addition to the numerous lives lost, there are hundreds of minor to major accidents on our portion (south of Busch) annually.
Unfortunately, the city was very non-committal on the issues we as a neighborhood have been promised over the years in the many meetings we have held on our own or attended when given by the city. In fact, most communication from the city, and involvement of the neighborhoods has virtually stopped.
This is unacceptable to us. We implore all of our neighborhoods to make their voices heard to our elected representatives by clicking the links below to contact them:
Thanks again to the Pepin Academy for their lending of the facilities for our meeting.
We will be including links to all kinds of information to keep you up to date on the future of this project. Stay Tuned!

Contact your representatives!

Write Shawn Harrison an email and Write Gwen Miller an email by clicking on the link to the Tampa City Goverment Webpage below or on the link to their email directory
also write our County Commissioners

PLEASE! If you cannot attend meetings, can you help us out (and yourself also) by contacting these people to let them know we want the following:
A safe road
Sound barrier and esthetic barrier walls
Greenways and Bike Trails
Aggressive right of way acquisition
Earlier construction dates
Adequate drainage
Neighborhood involvement in the planning of the road
...and anything else that will help us have a nice road that will improve the appearance of our neighborhood!
After our recent meeting we feel that the city will not be active in keeping us informed nor do we believe they will involve us in the road and zoning planning stages. In fact, we are not convinced that the city has our best interests in mind in the design of the road. The only way that we can convince the city that they must do these things is for us to be vocal in expressing our needs in a forceful yet professional way.

PERSISTENCE WILL WIN US THE ROAD WE DESERVE AND NEED!

40th Street, between Hillsborough Avenue and Busch Boulevard, has taken 15 lives over the past 15 years, not to mention the hundreds of accidents, serious and minor. And yet the city has decided to give Busch Gardens their main entrance by developing McKinley Avenue first, where no one has died that we know of, or for which there is any record.
This is unacceptable to us, and although we may have no power over this portion of the road being completed first, we intend to improve 40th Street as Mayor Nuccio promised us 40 years ago!

Email us
terryneal@terryneal.com

CONTACTS BELOW - WRITE THEM FREQUENTLY!

TAMPA CITY GOVERMENT EMAIL DIRECTORY
City of Tampa Website
Hillsborough County Goverment Website