RUSKIN, Fla. (WFTS) — Hillsborough County will install stop signs and reduce speed limits on Shell Point Road in Ruskin following a Memorial Day crash that killed four people.
The changes come after months of residents voicing safety concerns about the three-way intersection at West Shell Point Road and 32nd Street Northwest, where a speeding car lost control and crashed into a house in May.
Mark Larson lives on Shell Point Road. The car first hit a Spectrum cable box, then Larson's next-door neighbor's home, and finally ended after it hit his wife's parking car, totaling it but narrowly missing their home.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams first met Larson after that crash.
"We started this journey in 2019," Larson said. "We're pretty ecstatic, to be honest. It takes time, but sometimes the slow wheels of government take that time, but it's happening."
Jada talked to Larson again about the number of crashes and near-misses his eyes and doorbell camera have captured over time.
Larson said the county's planned improvements are "almost verbatim" what he discussed with Jada after the Memorial Day crash.
"They have done pretty much everything on our wish list, minus speed bumps," Larson said. "Any improvements that they make there are great."
Shirley MacKenna, who has lived in the neighborhood for 33 years, said the fatal crash was "the final straw" in a decades-long safety battle.
"I don't know how many lives it's going to take," MacKenna said. "It's already taken four already this year. How many more are they going to let die before they do something?"
MacKenna described hearing cars on the road regularly, especially at night.
"You hear them skidding and squealing the brakes, and you wait for the crash," MacKenna said. "I heard that when they had the fatal one. I didn't go out because I was afraid of what I'd see."
Josh Belotti, Director of Engineering and Operations for Hillsborough County Public Works, said safety is the county's top priority following the tragedy.
"Safety is our ultimate mission when it comes to transportation system," Belotti said. "We have a goal of reducing and eliminating serious injuries and fatalities from our roadways."
The county's Public Works Traffic Engineering Team conducted an analysis reviewing crashes, conducting field reviews and collecting speed data. The assessment focused on speeding, lane departure incidents and overall intersection safety.
Larson credited multiple parties for applying pressure to get the improvements approved, including the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
"I think Detective Bailey was instrumental," Larson said. "I think his talking with Public Works was instrumental in making this happen as well."
Two-tier improvement plan
The county will implement changes in two phases starting December 16:
Tier 1 improvements include:
- Speed reduction from 45 mph to 40 mph on West Shell Point Road east of 32nd Street to US 41, transitioning to 35 mph at 32nd Street
- Removal of passing zones
- Upgraded curve warning signage
- Raised pavement markers
- Enhanced pavement markings
- New crosswalk addition
- Improved intersection visibility
Tier 2 improvements include:
- Multi-way stop control
- Enhanced safety lighting
- Upgrade horizontal curve warning signs to flashing yellow beacons
While residents welcome the safety improvements, they say the changes won't completely erase the problem. Larson says the cars still speed despite the ongoing sewer construction.
"People are still whipping through there and speeding, and it's a construction zone now, so it's even more dangerous," Larson said. "You gotta have your head on a swivel more now because there's dewatering going on, there's excavators and construction workers."
MacKenna says she wants to see the county do even more, including ideas of a roundabout.
"We need speed bumps to slow them down," MacKenna said. "We need more police to monitor. We have nothing but speeders up and down this street. You'll hear them skid at night."
Belotti said the county evaluated various options but focused on improvements that could be implemented quickly while ensuring they don't create unintended safety consequences.
"There's possibly a number of different ideas that folks have, and any of those kind of speed control measures would need to be fully evaluated," Belotti said. "We don't want to put in something that might possibly make a safety situation worse."
The county plans to continue monitoring the intersection after implementing the initial improvements.
"Road safety never stops, and so we'll continue monitoring and evaluating and looking for ways that we can improve safety," Belotti said. "We won't walk away from this intersection."
Larson expressed gratitude that officials listened to residents' concerns after years of advocacy.
"Sometimes you can talk to the government until you're blue in the face and you don't get anywhere," Larson said. "But in this instance, there was a lot of pressure applied from a lot of different people, and they stepped up."
Share Your Story with Jada
Jada Williams is focused on the issues that matter most to people in Hillsborough County. From downtown Tampa to Apollo Beach, Jada works to bring you updates and solutions on everything from crime to infrastructure. Reach out to Jada below with your concerns for your neighborhood.
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