Tampa Bay Times: We need to prioritize a more walkable Florida and Tampa Bay | Column
There is no doubt that Pinellas County roads are dangerous for pedestrians and that public safety measures need to be implemented quickly. Last year alone, Florida cities dominated Smart Growth America’s “Dangerous by Design” list, with eight of the top 20 spots.
But, to address this complex problem, designing solely for “safety” isn’t going to be enough. We need to go beyond transportation engineering standards to create walkable public spaces that are pleasant and welcoming, bolstering quality of life for everyone.
Research shows that walking improves physical health, boosts happiness, reduces transportation expenses and emissions, and fosters interaction with our environment and each other. Yet, our Florida cities and public spaces are not designed with pedestrians in mind. We’ve shaped unwalkable places that were developed in the mid-20th century when the personal vehicle was gaining popularity. Our fascination with the car and its vast potential misled us into creating sprawling, car-dominated environments, rather than walkable places.
Pinellas County is known for its natural beauty and historic downtowns, yet its streets were designed for speed. It’s no surprise that the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area was rated the second most dangerous area in Florida and the eighth nationally last year, with 599 pedestrian deaths between 2018 and 2022 — a nearly 20% increase over the previous five years, as the Times documented in its recent Pedestrians in Peril project. In contrast, major urban centers such as New York City and Seattle, Washington — and portions of smaller cities like Charleston, South Carolina and Austin, Texas — demonstrate that a pedestrian lifestyle is possible and pleasant. Even Florida cities like Gainesville, which offers more walkable options — convenient for University of Florida students and employees — are not without risk for pedestrians.