TAMPA, Fla. — A major street redesign planned for El Prado Boulevard in Tampa will kick off in a few weeks, with mixed reactions from residents.
Both directions of El Prado Boulevard will be reduced to one lane to make room for a 6-foot wide bike lane, continuous sidewalks, and pedestrian safety upgrades like new crosswalks with flashing beacons. The project will stretch from South Omar Avenue to Bayshore Boulevard.
City officials and contractors are available to answer questions during an open house scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library on South Manhattan Avenue. The meeting is open to the public.
In addition to the dedicated bicycle lane, a 3-foot buffer will separate cyclists from traffic. One 11-foot travel lane will remain in each direction.
City officials say the redesign is intended to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, but critics argue the changes could worsen traffic congestion and push impatient drivers onto neighborhood side streets.
An online petition urging the City of Tampa to reconsider the project had already collected more than 1,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning. Residents opposed to the plan say El Prado serves as one of the few major east-west corridors in South Tampa and say they worry reducing lanes will create bottlenecks during busy travel times. Many residents say they also are frustrated at the ongoing construction on adjacent South Manhattan Avenue.
A spokesperson for the City of Tampa says that traffic studies show the roadway is currently underused. According to 2024 data, between 4,000 and 9,000 vehicles travel El Prado daily, which is well below the road’s current traffic capacity.
Parent Emily Hinsdale says the current layout makes walking difficult and unsafe for families. She is happy to see the project moving forward.
“It has been a problem that you have to bounce back and forth across the street,” Hinsdale says. “The street has as many lanes as Dale Mabry Highway, and this is what’s in a residential neighborhood and expect families to walk along.”
The project was originally budgeted in 2022 and is now expected to move into construction next month. Officials estimate the work will take roughly 10 months to complete.